Battle over dump reaches tipping point

Residents have been calling for action for months over the landfill site in Leatherdog Lane, Newport, which has grown to more than twice its permitted height of 8m.

Last year the Environment Agency served two enforcement notices. Now East Riding Council has written to owners City Plant Ltd giving them 14 days to come up with plans to reduce the height of the tip to permitted levels.

The council says it is the first step in the enforcement process, but residents say the authorities have been “lax”.

Chairman of Newport parish council Roy Hunt said the people worst affected by the tip were now openly talking about blockading the road leading to the tip to try and get the authorities to take action over the “flagrant” abuse of planning conditions.

He said: “I am disappointed that they have sent a letter rather than an enforcement notice. I think they have had enough time to remedy the situation. We have had months of debate over this.

“People are totally frustrated by the lack of action by the council.”

City Plant has applied to the Environment Agency to nearly treble the amount of waste taken there from 70,000 tonnes to 200,000 tonnes a year.

It is also preparing to put in a planning application to “regularise” the height of the tip.

Consultant for City Plant Kevin Wanless said the tip would be “no higher than it is now.” He added: “It is called retrospective planning; it is not something we blatantly do. We took over the site and there were a lot of discrepancies regarding levels. There was never any agreed benchmark on the site regarding levels. We are trying to legalise it now.”

A spokesman for East Riding Council said: “If we don’t get a positive and constructive response, we will then consider the submission of a formal enforcement notice.”