November Update after the meeting on 7th November 2012
Present at the meeting were:
Tony Barry – spokesperson for the operator Caseys
Max Folkett – Environment Agency
Paul Wood – Kirklees MC
Richard Steel – Chair + 3 residents
During the period March to October 2012 4620 great crested newts were relocated within the Laneside landfill site according to Tony Barry, spokesperson for the operators, Caseys. Tony was reporting back to the Laneside Liaison Group which met on Wednesday 7th November in the Parish Centre.
His operator’s report also included
- at present only inert materials are being deposited
- 13 of the proposed 20 newt holding ponds are now in situ
- additional areas within the site have now been cleared of newts and can now be worked on
- newt relocation has ceased for this year but it is expected that it will recommence & be completed in 2013
- domestic waste landfill will not start until at least Autumn 2013 or even possibly Spring 2014 dependent on newt mitigation
- no direct complaints about the site have been received by Caseys since the last meeting
- the 100′s of new ash saplings are to be monitored by DEFRA for signs of disease
There is to be some evaluation of the site to satisfy permit conditions imposed by the Environment Agency. This includes the placement of gas boreholes to monitor present levels of gas on site and the possibility of mitigating existing mine workings by either excavation and removal or by pumping cement into the adits [passages]
A resident asked if the issue of noise from track laying vehicles working on site could be addressed as it was a problem in the summer months. Tony replied that next summer a much larger, but quieter machine would be working on site and that the track laying vehicles would be employed down on the quarry floor which would help mitigate the problem.
In reply to another question Tony said that it was envisaged that once domestic landfill started being taken in, the site would have a life of between 5 to 8 years.
The next meeting of the liaison group will be on Wednesday May 22nd at 6:30pm in the Parish Centre – all residents welcome
July Update
There was a meeting on Wednesday 4 July with Caseys to discuss progress on the landfilling of the Laneside site. Present were representatives from the Environmental Agency and Kirklees MC as well as some local residents.
Tony Barry [Operations Director for Caseys] report included :
- newt mitigation is still continuing – the latest pond off Mountain Way is naturalising well
- there has been some vandalism on site including the use of an air rifle
- a 4 wheeled vehicle has entered the site from Long Tongue Scrog – residents are asked to report any unauthorised activity on the site
- route through Lower Hopton is being monitored for unauthorised use by contractors to the site
- contractors also being warned about possible damage to the parapets of bridges at Colne Bridge
- no planning application has been submitted since the last meeting
- the sweepers are clearing bothsides of Grange Moor Road as requested by residents
- drilling contactors are on site to bore holes for the monitoring of gases and ground water in compliance with the order made by The Environment Agency
Residents thanked Caseys for the recently erected footpath signs.
The next meeting will be on Wednesday 7 th November 6:30 at the Parish Church
March 2012 Update
There was a meeting on Wednesday 7th March at the Parish Centre to discuss issues regarding the landfill site. Present were Tony Barry [representing Casey’s] Richard Steel [Chair], 2 representatives from Kirklees MC, Alison Munro [Parish Cllr] and 7 residents. Max Folkett [Environmental Agency] gave his apologies.
Tony Barry reported that:
• Inert materials were still the only materials being brought in
• The main pond had been cleared of newts and was now drained
• Activities on the western boundary include clearing vegetation in preparation for a new bridleway and footpath and a large permanent pond for the newts
• The conditions for the permit were in the process of being fulfilled
• It is anticipated that no general waste will be dumped until Spring/Summer 2013- this being dependent on the ecologist’s report
Comments from residents included:
• Concern re HGVs not adhering to the weight restrictions in the area. TB agreed to monitor traffic to the site and carry out spot checks
• Build up of mud on the Grange Moor Road around the entrance to the site- TB agreed to more cleaning of the area
• Failure to put up footpath signs on site as promised- TB will rectify this
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 4th July at 6:30pm in the Parish Centre [Change of date]
November 2011 Update
Report of the Laneside Landfill Liaison Group meeting held on Wed 2nd November 2011
Present: Richard Steel [Chair] Tony Barry [Casey's] a representative of the Environment Agency[EA], Glenn Wakefield [KMC Planning] Alison Quarmby [KPC] + 11 local residents
Tony Barry presented Casey’s operator’s report.
Points included:
- This year’s newts preservation project is near completion – over 6000 newts [both great crested & smooth] have been relocated to various holding areas within the site.It is expected that newt relocation will end next year
- At the request of Kirklees MC an area next to the footpath from Mountain Way has been cleared of illegally tipped garden waste and a no tipping sign erected
The report was followed by a question and answer session.
Tony Barry explained that the recently granted permit allowed the company to tip waste on half the existing site. He anticipated that tipping would not commence until late 2012/13 as they had to implement many preconditions imposed by the EA as part of the permit.
Although the EA has refused the diversion of Cockley Beck in this present permit he felt that this could be rescinded in the future if and when further investigations have taken place.
He anticipated that once tipping started in the permitted area it would last for approx 5 years.
In answer to a comment from a resident re the mud & dust on the pavement on Bellstrings Lane – he agreed to get the road cleaner to clean these areas as well.
He also agreed to put up further signage around the site to clearly identify rights of way.
The meeting ended at 8pm
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday March 7th 2012 at 6:30 at the Parish Centre. All residents welcome
Laneside Landfill Site
This occupies the land previously quarried by Elliotts Bricks Ltd and known as Kirkheaton Brickworks. It is owned and run by Casey Enviro Ltd of Rochdale [www.casey.co.uk] who are currently importing inert waste (rubble etc]. into the site to construct the walls for the future landfill site and to create new habitats for the displaced newt colony there.
Caseys have recently applied to the Environmental Agency for a permit to deposit waste material including household refuse. The planning permission granted in 2000 allows 105 wagon journeys to and from the site between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm.
When tipping is completed the company is obliged to restore the landscape to a plan agreed with Kirklees Council. This restoration will be carried out progressively as the former quarry is filled from west to east.
Any complaints or comments regarding the everyday running of the site should be addressed in the first instance to Andrew Shaw, the site manager on 01924 497926 or alternatively to the Council’s Mineral Planning Unit, 01484 416814
Landfill Permit update October 28th 2011
On October 28th Casey’s permit application was granted. They will now be able to start bringing in domestic waste once they have complied with the preconditions.
On Wednesday 17th August at Kirkheaton Parish Centre there was a chance for residents to meet to discuss Casey’s permit application for landfill with officers from the Environment Agency.
Three members of the Environment Agency [EA] were present along with appprox 20 residents. Tony Barry, from Casey’s, was unable to be there but was happy for any questions to be forwarded to him for answering at the next meeting.
Max Folkett [a technical officer at the EA who will be one of the people monitoring the site] gave a brief explaination on how a landfill site is constructed. Permitting Officer Mike Keast then guided us through the Permit. He explained that the proposed permit imposed many preconditions on Casey’s before landfill could commence. Due to the past history of the site [ coal mining, clay extraction and landfill in the 70's] there were issues that needed to be addressed. These included identification and monitoring present gas seepage and identification of sources of present groundwater. Casey’s have only applied to landfill the area of the site on the west side of Cockley Hill Beck. The east side, which had been previously used as a landfill site in the 1970′s , was excluded. The permit boundary has been changed to reflect this. Casey’s had also wanted to divert the stream that runs through the site [Cockley Hill Beck] but the EA felt that this could be an important route for ground water and therefore until it was proved otherwise had to retain its present course. The EA was also concerned about the size of the exposed area for landfill at any one time and has insisted on temporary horizontal gas wells being constructed through the tipping site to ensure odour is kept to a minimum. The top of the tipping site will be covered daily to minimise dust, litter drift, smells and vermin. However, the EA explained that some of these problems may occur on occasion, as they are often an inevitable consequence of landfilling. The permit requires that Casey’s take all reasonable steps to minimise these problems and they will need to submit detailed management plans to explain how they will do this. There will also be a noise management plan.
A resident expressed his concern about the quality of landscaping work being undertaken on the site at the present time. His particular concern was about the construction of a holding pond and retaining banking alongside the public footpath.The EA pointed out that at the moment they had no jurisdiction about the present operations but once the permit was granted they would be regularly onsite and would monitor this. They would also have the powers for remediation for any work they were unhappy with. Work on the landfill liner will be supervised at all times by independent engineers.
It was decided at the end of the meeting that the group should meet more frequently now that ‘things seem to be moving forward’ . Richard Steel suggested that all residents who are in the agreed areas close to the site should be contacted again to invite them to future meetings.
The EA was thanked for coming to talk to the group and it was acknowledged that their involvement reassured residents re the management of the site.
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/library/consultations/80798.aspx
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