WE revealed earlier this month that asbestos pollution at Ravenscraig Hospital was discovered underneath the building eight years before it was demolished to make way for 198 social rent homes.

Link Group declared in March that the dangerous substance was eradicated from the site, however, its strategy for making the land safe — which was approved by Inverclyde Council — doesn't involve removing any pollutants from the soil.

Link's solution is to use 'capping layers' and the housing development itself as barriers between people and poisons.

Professor Watterson — an adviser to the World Health Organization — says that capping layers will ultimately fail.

On the crossing controversy, Transport Scotland insist the new position for it is safe.

A spokesman said: "Since the initial advice was given, a more detailed analysis of the proposed crossing has taken place.

"Together with local consultation, this work has resulted in a design which complies with the relevant standards while also addressing previous concerns."

Transport Scotland refused to provide the Telegraph with a copy of the new crossing design.

We have now formally requested it under Freedom of Information legislation.

Link bought the Ravenscraig site for £1 in a so-called 'back-to-back' deal involving former owner NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and the Scottish Government's More Homes Division in March 2017.

Just months earlier the district valuer estimated the worth of the land to be £850,000.

Link — which stands to receive £15.3 million of public money for developing the poisoned plot — decided in July not to respond to any further queries from the Telegraph.