Campaigners welcome 'mothballing' of landfill site

Campaigners have welcomed a decision not to renew the lease on a controversial landfill site in Lancashire.

The tip on Jameson Road in Fleetwood has faced complaints from neighbouring residents about the stench of "rotten eggs", and some have also said they believed their health had suffered as a result of living close to the site.

But a recent Environment Agency (EA) monitoring report found the site to meet safety standards for levels of hydrogen sulphide, sulphur dioxide and methane.

Campaigner Dr Barbara Kneale said the lease not being renewed was "good news", but added that "the fight goes on".

The site's operator Transwaste, had its licence suspended in March after the EA said it had failed to take "appropriate measures to collect and manage landfill gas".

That ban was lifted in April after it took the required steps.

But Wyre Council leader Michael Vincent has now said the lease will not be extended beyond December 2027 and that the site would be "mothballed".

Dr Kneale, of the Close Jameson Road Landfill campaign, said people remained concerned about the ongoing impact of the site as there was still two-and-a-half years on the lease.

Blackpool North and Fleetwood MP Lorraine Beavers, who has campaigned alongside residents to close the site said: "Obviously it's really good news, the community has been amazing on this.

"I can't tell you how proud I am of how hard they've worked and how much work they've done to bring us to this day."

She and some of her Labour colleagues have now formed a committee to try and change legislation around landfill sites like this.

She said: "We're working to see how we can change legislation, so we can empower the Environment Agency to be more forceful and shut these places down immediately when we see there is a problem."

Transwaste said it intended to honour its lease until 2027.

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