Concern raised with dust and damage caused by former Bucks Council offices demolition
Demolition work is continuing at a former Buckinghamshire Council office complex after concerns were raised about dust and the handling of solar panels at the site.
The Health and Safety Executive confirmed it received a concern about work at the King George V House in Amersham at the beginning of September.
A spokesman said the matter was currently being processed but declined to comment further at this stage. A resident had contacted the authorities after claiming solar panels had been damaged and mixed with demolition rubble while the buildings were being brought down.
Solar panels are classed as electrical waste and must be appropriately handled and transferred for authorised treatment or disposal.
Photographs supplied to the LDRS appear to show damaged solar panels among debris at the site, close to a public park and playground. The resident, who did not wish to be quoted, also raised concerns about what appeared to be dust emerging during the work.
However, Lidl, which owns the site, said all solar panels had been safely decommissioned before being removed. The supermarket company said the panels were lowered using specialist machinery. It added that any damaged panels had been separated from other material and disposed of through the appropriate waste electrical and electronic equipment route.
Lidl also insisted that measures were being used to control dust, including water-suppression equipment attached to machinery, ground-based suppression and live monitoring units.
The company said the fine water mist produced by the equipment was highly visible and could be mistaken for dust in photographs. A Lidl GB spokesperson said: “The health, safety and environmental standards of our development sites are of paramount importance to us.
“We are working closely with our specialist contractor to ensure all works at the former King George V House site are carried out in strict accordance with our approved demolition phase plan, and all relevant safety and environmental regulations.
“Robust dust suppression and monitoring measures are actively in operation, and we remain committed to ensuring the site is managed responsibly with minimal disruption to the local community.”
Buckinghamshire Council confirmed it had also received a complaint but said the site was no longer owned by the authority. The demolition contractor, UDCS Ltd, did not respond to a request for comment.
King George V House closed in 2024 and was subsequently sold by Buckinghamshire Council. Planning documents said hazardous materials, including asbestos, would be removed before the buildings were dismantled in stages.
The demolition is proceeding despite the council refusing Lidl’s application to build a supermarket on the site in May 2026.