Council to consider vote of no confidence in Environment Agency over handling of Droppingwell Tip

Grange Landfill Site, also known as Droppingwell Tip, was inactive for more than 20 years, but the Environment Agency issued a permit variation in 2016 that allowed Grange Landfill Ltd to use the site for landfill once again.

Permission for the site dates back to 1958, which has “very few restrictions, conditions or controls”.

The permit variation for Grange Landfill Site, granted in March 2016, imposed a range of conditions that must be complied with, before any deposit of waste will be allowed.

These include groundwater and landfill gas monitoring requirements, the construction of engineered bunds and a system to collect and treat surface water.

An update from the Environment Agency in July 2022 states that the site remains pre-operational, and no waste can be deposited until the EA have approved the construction of the artificial geological barrier.

Councillors Ian Jones and Rob Elliott have submitted a motion to tomorrow’s full council meeting, calling on RMBC to “pass a motion of no confidence in the Environment Agencies handling of the site.”

Councillors will be asked to vote on the motion, which states: “Since 2016 there have been many complaints to the Environment Agency around the re-permitting of the Grange landfill site at Droppingwell.

“Despite the valiant efforts of the Droppingwell Action Group and numerous members of the public, the works carry on.

“This has led to dozens of complaints that have been escalated to stage two and several are now sitting with the office of the parliamentary ombudsmen.”