North Northamptonshire Council supports public inquiry into Corby contamination

North Northamptonshire Council leader Martin Griffiths said on Tuesday he will back a public inquiry into the contaminated land surrounding Corby, after Earthwatch Europe’s citizen‑science report revealed potentially harmful levels of metals or metalloids at 52 freshwater sites in the town. Griffiths told reporters the council “has nothing to hide” and will cooperate fully with any government‑led investigation.

The call for an inquiry comes amid growing alarm over a legacy of industrial pollution that began when the town’s steelworks were demolished in the 1980s. Local families have linked a rise in birth defects to the demolition, and the Earthwatch study, conducted by trained volunteers, confirmed that the water bodies still carry elevated concentrations of toxic substances. The findings have revived concerns that long‑standing contamination could pose a direct risk to human health, prompting residents to demand answers after years of silence.

Labour MP Lee Barron, who represents Corby and East Northamptonshire, described the council’s move as “baffling” and urged an immediate plan to investigate and remediate the sites. Barron wrote to both Griffiths and Health Secretary Yvette Cooper, insisting the Earthwatch report be examined as a matter of urgency and that the council act swiftly to clean up any contaminated land. Solicitor Des Collins, who represents families affected by the scandal, welcomed Griffiths’s announcement, saying a public inquiry is “the only feasible way of getting to the truth” and that “local lives depend on it.” The Department of Health and Social Care said it is monitoring the situation, with the UK Health Security Agency and the Environment Agency prepared to provide support and assess whether further action is required.

If an inquiry is launched, it could lead to a comprehensive review of historic waste disposal practices and a coordinated clean‑up programme. Griffiths pledged full cooperation, while national agencies have signalled readiness to assist. The outcome may determine whether Corby’s waterways are declared safe, shape future remediation funding, and set a precedent for how other post‑industrial towns address lingering contamination.