Kempt Field to close for $11.8m clean-up after discovery of asbestos, methane gas
A popular southwest Sydney park will be closed for more than a year as it undergoes a $11.8 million remediation after asbestos and methane gas were discovered at the former waste landfill site.
St George Shire Standard
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A popular southwest Sydney park will be closed for the summer as it undergoes extensive $11.8 million remediation works following the discovery of asbestos and methane gas.
Kempt Field in Allawah will close to the public in September, making way for the NSW Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure (DPHI) to clean up the park.
The project will aim to address longstanding subsidence and buried waste issues at the 3.17ha public reserve, which was a privately-owned waste landfill site until 1978.
Georges River Council general manager David Tuxford emphasised the importance of providing alternative recreational spaces for the community to enjoy while the work is underway.
“Kempt Field is a vital space for our residents, and ensuring it is safe has been our top priority,” Mr Tuxford.
“While the remediation process will require a full closure of the site, we are committed to enhancing recreational opportunities in the surrounding area.
“We’re excited to announce upgrades to playgrounds at Woodville Park, Croot Park, and Empress Reserve will occur within the 2024/25 financial year. These upgrades will serve as alternative playgrounds following the Kempt Field playground closure.”
As part of the remediation works, parts of the Kempt Field playground will be carefully removed, rehabilitated, and integrated into the play spaces being upgraded across the Georges River.
The plan aims to ensure local children still have an enjoyable and healthy place to play while Kempt Park is made safe for future use.
It comes nearly five decades after ownership of the site was transferred to the NSW Government and placed under the care, control and management of Georges River Council.
Kempt Field originally operated as a brick quarry between the early 1900s to 1957 before it was used for landfill activities for 20 years.
The area was then divided with one half of the landfill site becoming the public park, while the other half remained in private hands and has since been redeveloped for high-density residential use.
Parts of Kempt Field were progressively closed from early 2022 to 2023 after geotechnical investigations revealed contamination issues linked to the landfill underneath the site.
Further investigations were undertaken at the site in mid-March 2024, with the findings forming the basis of a remediation action plan.
On-site work will begin in late September 2024 and is expected to take around 15 months, subject to weather conditions.
The Waste Assets Management Corporation, within Property and Development NSW, are leading the project in collaboration with the Planning Ministerial Corporation.
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