Builders have stacked pallets at a derelict site on Donegall Road in Belfast for a bonfire planned for July 11, despite earth-moving efforts to secure the area. The site saw an asbestos scare last summer. Security gates at Monarch Parade now feature a large embankment of earth to block entry of people, materials and vehicles.

An alternative entry at Maldon Street, 200 metres away, has been forced open wide enough for people and pallets. The former car park, where asbestos was found last year, has been cleared down to visible parking bay markers. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency states the site presents minimal risk to nearby residents but warns of asbestos exposure from unauthorised access.

The agency estimates full decontamination will take two years. A spokesperson for the agency said unauthorised persons should not access the site under any circumstances for public health reasons and that such access could be a criminal offence. Pallets, including sturdy blue and red Chep models owned by the company, sit stacked next to an electricity substation that serves the Royal Victoria Hospital and City Hospital, close to the M1 motorway.

A hut for shelter has been constructed within the pallet stack four months ahead of the bonfire. Environment Minister Andrew Muir called on community and political representatives in the area to ensure compliance with the law and agency warnings. Muir expressed concern over entry to the site despite signage and noted the deposited pallets.