Walleys Quarry: Locals blast Environment Agency as "late to the party" after five more permit breaches found

  • Report by Callum Watkinson

The Environment Agency was blasted as 'late to the party' by residents in Newcastle Under Lyme. They say the regulation of a land fill site is botched and the smell from it is ruining their lives.

The Agency had already found Red Industries - which owns the site at the old Walley's Quarry - in breach of the terms of its permit. Yesterday (May 25) it announced it had discovered a further five failings.

Residents say they've been forced to tape up their windows and doors, and buy air purifiers to deal with the smell. Credit: ITV News Central

Compliance demands from the Environment Agency include issues around gas utilisation and dust management plans.

Local residents in this part of Newcastle-under-Lyme say their patience is past tipping point. Nathan Wint says "people have been complaining about this for many years now."

Another resident, Susie Stringer, says the local community has "no faith in the Environment Agency." Susie has says she has gone to "extreme measures" to make her home more comfortable: "I've installed a massive air filtration system in our house to try and get some good quality air in our home."

Residents complain of puffy eyes, sore throats, headaches and sleepless nights - they say, all because of the smell from the quarry.

The smell from the quarry can be smelt from as far as Stoke-on-Trent. Credit: BPM

The residents of the Galingale Estate say the planning permission for their houses was granted before the planning permission to turn Walleys Quarry into a landfill site.

The Environment Agency held a conference call for residents on Thursday (26 May) where they sought to defend themselves.

The Environment Agency has demanded that the operator, to take action to correct most of these breaches by June. ITV News Central have asked Red Industries for a comment but they have yet to give one.

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