Residents Concerned Over Abandoned Bombs

Formby, United Kingdom An area slated for development of 97 housing units next spring is suspected of containing UXO. Concerns over the UXO were raised after historical records reviewed from the 1940s indicated that two bombs fell in the area in 1941 that did not explode. The historic records indicated that the two UXO items were "abandoned", as opposed to exploded or removed as indicated for other UXO items that fell in the area.

A copy of one of the archival records is shown below.

The UXO concerns by residents were forwarded to the local Formby Parish Council who contacted the Sefton Council (a higher level governing body) to relay the concerns that UXO was not properly addressed at the site. A spokesperson from the council was quoted in local papers on the issue stating "We are deeply concerned that Redrow (the developer) intend to punch piles through the ground and lay groundworks while highly explosive bombs potentially lurk beneath."

However, the Director of planning for the developer stated in a response that: "This matter was first brought to the company's and the planning authority's attention in 2016 by a local resident and that [Redrow] commissioned specialist UXO consultants to advise on the matter, who have since that time carried out both desk top and site surveys, including intrusive surveys." According to the Director, nothing has been found to date but they agreed to continue to work with their UXO consultants to take any additional action if necessary.