The Environment Agency has lifted the suspension notice it issued to Walleys Quarry landfill site saying it is satisfied the steps required have been completed.
Walleys Quarry is no longer prohibited from accepting and disposing of non-inert waste specified in its permit. The Environment Agency said it will now assess the effectiveness of the action taken to reduce fugitive emissions of landfill gas from the areas of the site identified in the Notice.
Aaron Bell, MP for Newcastle-Under-Lyme, criticised the decision and said it was “not welcome” and called on the Environment Agency to close the site. Leader of Newcastle Borough Council Simon Tagg labelled the decision “unbelievable” and echoed Bell’s call for Walleys Quarry to be closed.
Walleys Quarry in Newcastle-under-Lyme has been subject to numerous complaints over foul-smelling odours. Between 4-10 March, the Environment Agency received 694 odour complaints regarding Walleys Quarry.
A petition by Bell calling for the landfill site to be closed has over 8,000 signatures. Despite the announcement, the Environment Agency said all regulatory options remain under consideration.
Walleys Quarry, which appealed against the Notice to the Planning Inspectorate, said withdrawing the Notice was the correct decision and called it “inappropriate and ill-conceived”.
While we welcome the inevitable decision to lift the Notice, we do not believe it was ever justified.
A spokesperson for the landfill site said: “It (the Notice) appeared to serve only the interests of the Environment Agency in seeking to justify its over-zealous scrutiny of Walleys Quarry. While we welcome the inevitable decision to lift the Notice, we do not believe it was ever justified.
“Today’s Withdrawal Notice comes following a significant effort by Walleys Quarry to complete the on-site works already in progress at the time that the Notice was issued in the shortest timescale possible.
“Ironically, the only effect this Notice has had is to disrupt works already in progress, impose works we still consider superfluous and led to the delay of the site’s wider development and capping programme.
“As always, we remain dedicated to working with our community and the regulators to provide a clean, responsible and sustainable operation for Newcastle-under-Lyme.”
Data from mobile monitoring facilities near Walleys Quarry showed hydrogen sulphide concentrations were above the World Health Organisation odour annoyance guideline level 34% of the time 0.3km from the site between 4-10 March.
