Sheffield company director sentenced after investigation into illegal dumping
A company and its director have a month to clear an illegal waste tip or face further legal action.
Concept Investments Ltd, of London Road, Sheffield, and its director, Austin Fitzgerald, 65, of the same address, were ordered to pay fines and costs of over £20,000 by South Yorkshire Magistrates.
Both pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to allowing an illegal waste site to operate on land the company owns known as ‘the Former Stanley Works’, Rutland Road, Sheffield.
The court heard Concept Investments is the landlord and allowed a waste site to operate without an environmental permit.
The Environment Agency first visited in 2022, and found a large amount of mixed waste, including fridges and other electrical items as well as soil and stones.
In a follow up visit the occupier was told he didn’t have a permit and was given six weeks to clear it. In January 2023 the EA found more waste had accumulated.
A formal notice was served, requiring it to be cleared by June.
Complaints were made about the burning of waste in late 2024 and early 2025 about burning and the operator was advised to stop as it was impacting on residents.
In March 2025, Fitzgerald was interviewed and said that he inspected the site regularly. Another visit in April 2025 revealed there was still waste on the site.
He has until May 18 to clear the site. Another man has pleaded not guilty to operating a regulated facility without an environmental permit, with a trial listed for February 11 2027.