MP to chair Lidsey Landfill public meeting

07/05/2013

Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbert will chair a public meeting on Friday 17 May to address the ongoing issues of foul smells coming from the Lidsey Landfill site.

The meeting has been organised by the Environment Agency and will take place at Eastergate School.  Representatives from the operators, Lidsey Landfill Ltd with their partners Sita and Veolia, and Lidsey Liaison Group will update the public on what actions are being undertaken to control emissions from the site.  They will also answer questions from the public.

The meeting will start at 6pm in the school hall, but those who wish to speak to the Environment Agency and operator before the meeting can do so from 4.30pm.

Mr Herbert has supported local villagers with their concerns about the smell from the landfill site since last year.  After a meeting with residents earlier this year, he visited the site to discuss the issue with the landfill operators and the Environment Agency, who he asked to write to him about their response to the concerns. 

The operators said; "Lidsey Landfill Ltd is currently proposing to cease landfill operations by 1st December 2015 in accordance with the planning permission granted by West Sussex County Council.  The company has no plans to apply for an extension of time beyond that date."  They also said; "Phase 2 of the extension site was due to be completed in Autumn 2015.  However as a result of the substantial increase in filling rates, albeit with clay materials, we will now complete the landfilling operations in this phase significantly earlier, in Spring 2014." 

The Environment Agency said: "We are satisfied with the actions that Lidsey Landfill Ltd have taken to speed up the closure of the site."  The agency have appointed a site inspector, Steve Storey, to provide ongoing monitoring of the site activities and to review new proposals submitted by the operator.

However, despite these commitments, residents remain unhappy about the smell which continues to emanate from the tip.

Nick Herbert said: "Local residents in the villages around Lidsey Landfill have endured a stink from the site for months.  This meeting is an opportunity for people to put their concerns directly to the operators and the Environment Agency and hear what they have to say."

ENDS

Notes

        1. Lidsey Landfill is operated by Lidsey Landfill Limited and partners Sita and Veolia.  It is a 50 hectare landfill site at Headbone Farm near Bognor Regis.  More information can be found on the website http://www.veoliaenvironmentalservices.co.uk/Main/Facilities/Landfill-sites/Lidsey/

        2. The Environment Agency has a webpage dedicated to the issue and includes contact information for reporting the odours.  http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/waste/145978.aspx

3. The letters to Nick Herbert from the landfill operators and the Environment Agency following his visit to the site can be found here.