The CCS is a national initiative, set up by the construction industry, to improve its image. Sites like The Avenue and companies that register with the scheme sign up and are monitored against a code of considerate practice. This is designed to encourage best practice beyond statutory requirements.

The scheme is concerned with any area of construction activity that may have a direct or indirect impact on the area the contractor is working within including the environment, the workforce and the general public.

Overall, The Avenue received an excellent score, with CCS Assessor Peter Bolwell commenting: "It is hard to describe and sum up this scheme which is almost overwhelming in its cost, scale, scope and difficulty. At The Avenue, the CCS is well appreciated and seriously implemented."

Work began last autumn to clean up the contaminated site, with VSD Avenue - the consortium of specialist contractors appointed by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) - carrying out the works using innovative techniques that haven't been used in the UK on such a large scale before.

VSD Avenue is a fully integrated joint venture between VolkerStevin, DEC and Sita Remediation.

Commenting on the CCS score, Marcus Foweather, Project Director at VSD Avenue, said: "Our role as the main contractor is to treat the contamination in a way that safeguards the environment and protects the health of our workers and people living in the area. This excellent score shows that we take this responsibility extremely seriously and are carrying out the remediation in the safest and most considerate way for the benefit of the local community."  

Speaking about the latest developments on site, Mike Fenton, emda's Project Director for The Avenue, said: "Our contractors have just started construction of the temporary crossing across the River Rother to enable access to the more remote areas of the site in preparation for the clean up to commence. This will get underway in the spring when the thermal plant - the major piece of kit that will be used to treat some of the most heavily contaminated materials - will be delivered to site."   

The Avenue is the largest single project in the National Coalfields Programme. It is costing £172.3m to deliver, the funding for which is coming via the Homes and Communities Agency's (HCA's) National Coalfields Programme, Communities and Local Government (CLG) and HM Treasury. emda is responsible for delivering the project.