RAF Upper Heyford contamination worst in UK, report says

The testing was carried out for developer Dorchester Living, and the results have been uploaded to Cherwell District Council's website as part of a planning application. They follow earlier testing by campaigners and the Environment Agency that raised fears the site could be polluting nearby waterways.

PFAS are a group of thousands of man-made chemicals, some of which can cause cancer, and are often referred to as "forever chemicals" because they do not break down easily. They were used extensively in firefighting foams for decades, and the Environment Agency has said military sites and airports are hotspots. At Upper Heyford, firefighters practised putting out an aeroplane set on fire above a "pond" of fuel; the training area was found to be "the most significant ongoing source of PFAS contamination identified".

The report's author said the levels were higher than those at Bentham, Yorkshire, a village "determined as having the highest level of PFAS in the UK". A separate report into ground and surface water described contamination as "widespread", with all samples exceeding environmental standards. Independent testing by Gallos Brook Environmental Group found elevated levels of the chemicals in more than a dozen streams that flow from beneath the base.

The results have prompted concerns from residents about existing and approved developments near the site, including a primary school. Groundwater and surface water results from the school site in another report showed PFAS exceeded safe levels by environmental quality standards. Calum Miller, MP for Bicester and Woodstock, said: “The most important thing is to understand fully what level of contamination, if any, there is in that area. And in the case of a primary school that people have real confidence that it's a safe environment for children.”

Residents living near the site would like their blood tested to determine whether they have been disproportionately exposed. Leigh Radwell, who has lived near the base for 16 years, said she was concerned for her health after eating vegetables from her garden. "My little countryside haven and my dream of growing my own veg and having chickens and supporting wildlife is ruined. I hate living here now," she said.

Helen Christie, from Gallos Brook Environmental Group, said the results confirmed what campaigners had been saying, that the site is contaminated, but called the testing done so far "inadequate". "The duty of care now must be towards the 1,300 houses already built and those living in the surrounding areas," she added.

The report carried out for Dorchester Living said the contamination could be managed through a phased remediation approach. Chief executive Paul Silver said separate soil samples from residential areas showed the area was “safe for use”. He said: “This testing was the first step and an outline strategy for further investigation has been submitted as part of the planning application. We anticipate that this will include further investigation work on a phased basis with any necessary remediation to be secured through the planning process.” He added that the levels of contamination found on site were “significantly lower than we had expected given its historic use”, and that the company continued to recognise its responsibilities as a landowner and developer. The results of the further tests have not been made public. A working group has been set up alongside the developer and the Environment Agency after Cherwell District Council called on the government to support it on the issue.