Ardmore has paused work on part of a £75m development in east London while the council investigates reports of a chemical smell.
Piling work stopped at a site on the Hackney Yards scheme in Wallis Road, Hackney Wick, after nearby residents complained about air quality, according to a Hackney Council spokesperson.
The council has ordered work to stop while it investigates the issue and identifies potential remedial action.
The project’s planning authority is the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC). Gas monitoring is taking place on site and a system to reduce odours has been installed, according to the LLDC.
Materials dug up during piling are being tested and no hazardous materials have so far been found, according to the planning body.
An LLDC spokesperson said: “We take the concerns raised about the construction site at 62-64 Wallis Road very seriously, and are working closely with the contractors and other public bodies to monitor the situation and to reassure members of the public.”
Hackney Council said it had arranged to meet representatives of Ardmore, the LLDC and Tower Hamlets yesterday (15 April).
Ardmore was contracted in November to design and build four residential and commercial blocks across three sites in Hackney Wick.
The development is set to provide 190 affordable homes and more than 4,000 square metres of commercial space, including affordable workspace, studio offices and retail.
In 2018, complaints about odour led Hackney Council to order Telford Homes to stop construction work on a site on the same street. The council said the smell was caused by hydrocarbon contamination, including carcinogenic benzene and potentially carcinogenic naphthalene.
Ardmore has been contacted for comment.
