EXCLUSIVE | Criminal probe into presence of asbestos at controversial bonfire site in Belfast.

Posted by Jim on August 1, 2025

THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH:

Pyre sparked row over toxic material and risk to health of people living in the area

Controversial Village bonfire in Belfast

Allison Morris

Today at 01:00

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency has launched a criminal investigation into asbestos at a controversial bonfire in Belfast.

The land at Meridi Street, off the Donegall Road, belongs to a property development company based in Armagh.

The former factory site hit the headlines after Belfast City Council tried to have the pyre removed before the Eleventh Night.

At the time it was reported the landowner intended to remove the asbestos as soon as possible.

NIEA had said it understood they were due to arrange this in the week commencing July 16.

It said it would be “a highly specialised, complex and delicate operation that will require the site to be fully vacated”.

“Indeed, the work is of such complexity that the full removal will take a number of weeks,” NIEA added.

However, little progress appears to have been made since.

It was later reported work couldn’t begin until the site was secured, as the gates had been removed illegally.

The PSNI told the Belfast Telegraph there were no reports of any stolen gates, and when the site was visited this week all entrances appeared secure.

Now the saga has taken a new twist with the criminal investigation.

NIEA said: “The agency was first alerted to the issues around the bonfire on May 16, 2025.

“Responsibility for removing the asbestos primarily lies with the landowner.

“Given the circumstances, an enforcement investigation was initiated, and a direction was issued requiring the landowner to remove the asbestos waste.

“When it became clear that the circumstances did not allow for the safe and controlled removal of the asbestos prior to July 11, 2025, NIEA worked with the landowner and Belfast City Council to agree mitigating measures to reduce the risk to public health.”

DAERA said: “While the immediate focus for NIEA is on the efforts by the landowner to remove the asbestos pile safely from the site, it should be noted that as NIEA has initiated a criminal investigation into this matter, the agency is unable to comment further on the specifics of this site”.

The landowner, Boron Developments, was contacted for comment.

A spokesperson for the company told the BBC they are “not aware” of any new criminal investigation in relation to the asbestos on the site.

They added they were in “weekly contact” with the NIEA and Belfast City Council and had reported the removal of gates to an entrance on the site to the police as they said they “could not secure the site until this entrance was blocked”.

The spokesperson also said the contractors who will remove the asbestos will be taking “full control” of the site and the process is due to be completed by September.

Agriculture and Environment Minister Andrew Muir said the NEA “rightly considers this very seriously and will be doing all that they can in regards to it because this is an issue of concern and the officials in my department are working studiously in regards to it”.

DUP MLA Edwin Poots said local politicians had been pressing for action.

“I welcome all works that the Northern Ireland Environment Agency will do to ensure that the landowners meet their obligations and responsibilities, and have whatever asbestos is on this site removed as soon as possible,” he said.

Asbestos was found in five different locations at the site.

The bonfire was declared a major incident and a tactical coordination group was set up to discuss options to minimise its risk.

Despite appeals from politicians and health professionals about the dangers, the bonfire went ahead, albeit with a much smaller crowd than originally expected.

Signage was erected along with double fencing around the affected area warning of hazardous material. That signage remains in place.

Tonnes of asbestos-contaminated rubble had already been removed from the area after the demolition of the old factory building.

The remaining asbestos is thought to have been there for years.