DERRY — A six-unit single family home subdivision on Old Chester Road was approved by the Planning Board last week.

The 18-acre plus property at 12 Old Chester Road is owned by the estate of William Dearth.

“It will be divided into six buildable lots from 2.46 acres to 1.99 acres,” said land surveyor James Lavelle. “It is in a zone where there are minimum one-acre lots with frontage of 125 feet. All of the lots meet or exceed the requirements for soil zoning.”

Lavelle said municipal water will be extended from Hamspstead Road to the front of all the new properties along Old Chester Road. The water extension will also include additional fire hydrants and culverts at all the driveway entrances.

Planning Board member John O’Connor noted that there was a memo from the Conservation Commission bringing up the possibility of contamination on the site.

Lavelle said there was a large building on the property where heavy equipment was stored for years, but added that he saw no signs of soil contamination on the site.

He also said he walked the property with the developer and the Conservation Commission and the commission made no formal recommendations for further testing of the property.

Lavelle said banks will often ask for soil studies of properties for potential contamination when the properties change hands.

The existing building on the property will be demolished to make way for the new single-family homes.

During a Conservation Commission presentation on the project, commission chair Margaret Ives noted that any potentially hazardous materials on the property will have to be properly disposed of once the building inspector’s office grants a demolition permit.

The Planning Board unanimously approved the subdivision, which has already been granted state subdivision approval by the Department of Environmental Services.

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