HEALTH and safety officers were called out after a video emerged of an unsecured building site 200 yards from a housing estate where a youngster died playing during construction four years ago.
Seven-year-old Conley Thompson’s body was found by workmen on the morning of July 27, 2015, after he was reported missing from his home on Underwood Avenue, Worsbrough, by his mother Paula Thompson the day before.
The grim discovery came after a massive police search was launched involving more than 50 officers who looked throughout the night for the little boy, who was eventually found by workmen on the site, owned by Leeds-based housing developer Erris Homes.
The plot had been under 24-hour surveillance by security firm Security Guards UK until July 16 when the cover was stopped - 11 days before Conley’s body was discovered.
At the time of the little boy’s death, a manager for the security firm claimed the tragedy could have been avoided had round-the-clock monitoring not been taken away and concerns about children playing there been listened to.
But in recent weeks ‘grave concerns’ have been expressed by resident John Carver relating to another housing site - on nearby Grove Street - which he says has been accessed by youngsters.
He told the Chronicle that despite raising the issue with Barnsley Council and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the ten-home site posed a danger due to it being easily accessed.
He said: “The anniversary of Conley’s death on a building site at Bank End Road, Worsbrough, has just gone by and I am horrified with what I discovered on a new building site less than 200 yards from the tragedy.
“As a matter of course I immediately contacted the council who informed me that it is not their concern as building site safety is now a matter for the site owner to sub-contract to.
“I made a video showing just how easy the site is to access, which I sent to the HSE, and I am now being met by a wall of indifference where people in power are passing the buck.
“This could potentially be another disaster, an avoidable one, but nobody seems to want to step up and act.
“Lessons ought to have been learned from the tragedy which happened before.”
The houses are well underway at the site after permission was granted by the council’s planning board in April to applicant and the site’s owner, John Watts.
Planning stipulations restrict work in the evenings and on Sundays, and Mr Carver has called for more security to avoid any chance of a repeat tragedy.
He added: “Kids are on their school holidays at the moment and claim to have built a den on what is, in effect, an open adventure playground in their eyes.
“It’s essential that someone, whether it’s the council, HSE or the site’s owner takes responsibility for this situation.”
A spokesman from the HSE confirmed a complaint had been lodged and the Chronicle understands that the site - bordered on three sides by wooden fencing and Heras fencing on the remaining side - now has double-clamped fittings as well as increased signage warning people to stay out.
The HSE added: “We were made aware of concerns at the building site and visited the premises on August 1 to carry out an inspection.
“Verbal advice was given on a couple of issues but no written enforcement action has been taken.”
When contacted by the Chronicle, Mr Watts said that he did not wish to comment on the matter.
See the video here.
