Wednesday, January 26, 2022

News: Update on Droppingwell tip

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The Environment Agency (EA) and Rotherham Council have provided updates on the controversial tip reopening at Droppingwell where the operator has not yet completed works to prepare the site for full operation and to fulfil the requirements of the Environmental Permit.

When landfilling operations ceased at the Kimberworth site, the planning permission and environmental permit allowing landfilling activity in January 1978 remained in place. The EA granted a permit variation in 2016 which allows for 150,000 tonnes of inert waste to be imported, and 55,000 tonnes of waste for restoration, each year.

On site works have been temporarily paused by the operator, Grange Landfill Limited, due to priorities elsewhere, and plant has been removed from site. The operator has not yet confirmed as to when works may recommence at Grange Landfill, but the Environment Agency anticipates that the operator will recommence activities on site early in 2022.

An update from the EA reads: "Once all engineering works to comply with the permit conditions are complete the operator will submit a validation report to the Environment Agency. If we are satisfied that all conditions have been met to the required standard, the Operator will be given permission to operate the landfill site.

"Please note that no waste disposal activities will commence until our Regulatory Specialists are fully satisfied that the landfill infrastructure has been engineered to the relevant standards."

Opponents, including residents, users of nearby football and golf facilities, the council, and the local MP, have raised concerns regarding traffic, noise and other impacts on the local area which has changed since the original plans were approved in the 1950s.

A council report shows that the authority served a Planning Contravention Notice (PCN) to Grange Landfill Limited in September 2021, keen to find out how they intend to comply with the conditions attached to the 1958 planning permission, specifically to condition 3 which stated that "tipping operations shall be so arranged that not more than 5 acres of the land referred to shall be out of cultivation at any one period."

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Local residents were concerned that Condition 3 was being breached during the preparation of the site for the new tipping operations.

However, the report adds that "the Council does not have any evidence to suggest that there has been a breach of planning control at this time but that this would not prevent enforcement action in the future should there be a breach of the conditions and it was deemed expedient to do so."

The position follows on from the Government confirming that it will not intervene in the planning issue at Droppingwell and use powers to revoke or discontinue the planning permission and to fund any compensation claims.

As well as planning issues, the report provides an update on the access road to the Grange Landfill site which is on land owned by the Council. Risks have been raised by visitors to Millmoor Juniors Football Club and the Council continues to keep its legal position under review.

On public rights of way situated across the Grange Landfill site, the Secretary of State has been asked to make a decision regarding a number of claimed rights of way.

Images: Google Maps

3 comments:

Scott Engering January 26, 2022 at 9:45 PM  

Surely, this is not a good idea? I was walking around the area a couple of weeks ago, to look at its very interesting geology and industrial archaeology and I think that it is a terrible idea to re-open this site to dump more waste!

Anonymous,  January 27, 2022 at 10:35 PM  

If people don't want it,simply organise and demonstrate out side site,make life difficult for it to operate.

Anonymous,  March 18, 2023 at 7:15 AM  

Why cant one of uks richest men, a muslim and a gypsy put out his waste fire in 4 months @ kiveton park ?

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