Kirkheaton_Community website Landfill

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:

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Although the EA has refused the diversion of Cockley Beck in this present permit he felt that this could be rescinded in the future if and when further investigations have taken place.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

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.

Click here to read the permit and how the decision has been reached

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.

Newts
A colony of great crested newts was discovered on the site following the grant of planning permission. Caseys subsequently obtained a licence from English Nature to move the newts progressively to new habitats on the site and no landfill may take place in any area until they have been cleared of newts This involved collecting the newts from the site and building holding ponds until a proper environment could be established for them. Areas of the site have been systematically isolated by the use of plastic walls. The newts in these areas were collected in a series of buckets and from under carpet squares around the perimeters and removed to the holding ponds. It was anticipated that this would delay the operation by approximately 2 years. That was in 2003. Six years and over 7000 newts later, the site has still not been cleared!
The cost of humanely removing the newts, ecological advice and monitoring, and the provision of new ponds on the site, has been financed by Casey's. It is believed to be many hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Update September 2010
To date the areas that have been/will soon be released back for use by the rescued newts and other amphibians have encompassed: -
a. Sixteen new ponds of suitable size, shape and profile for use by breeding
amphibians. The ponds are surrounded by a bund to facilitate rainfall catchment to sustain the water-levels in the ponds.
b. Terrestrial habitats comprising grassland composed from fine-leaved grass species that newts are able to forage within and shelter beneath.
c. Numerous hibernacula for use by sheltering and hibernating amphibians.
d. Native tree and shrub planting to maintain habitat connectivity between receptor areas.
These habitats are designed to provide sustainable habitats for the maintenance of the Great Crested Newt population at a favourable conservation status in their natural range over the long term.
The areas being worked currently (July 2010) will create an additional three new ponds with surrounding terrestrial habitats and hibernacula.
Monitoring of the new ponds in 2008 and 2009 has demonstrated that all new ponds support breeding Great Crested Newts and contribute to the conservation of the large population at the site.
Other Wildlife
In addition to the creation of habitats for amphibians the areas of habitat creation support a variety of other wildlife.
The grasslands support a higher percentage cover of legumes (White Clover, Red Clover and Black Medick). This species composition is favourable for use by breeding butterflies and site visits have revealed the presence of Large White, Orange Tip, Common Blue, Peacock, Small White and Small Tortoiseshell.
The planted, native trees and shrubs also provide additional shelter for amphibians. Once the trees and shrubs become established they will provide habitats for breeding and feeding passerine birds (including UK BAP Priority Species such as Dunnock).
Next Phase
In accord with the current programme of works the trapping out of the areas known as ‘Compartment 20’ and the ‘Stream Corridor’ are almost completed (after 3 seasons of trapping). Works will soon commence on the creation of a bund to carry the newt exclusion fencing across the compacted bed of the quarry. Once the newt fencing is in place the trapping out of Phase 2Bi will commence (in conjunction with the continued re-grading and release of habitats for release to Great Crested Newts).
Future Management of Habitats
In accord with the terms and conditions of the Natural England licence all areas of habitat creation will be managed and maintained for the conservation of amphibians and other wildlife in the long-term. A management plan has been prepared to ensure all habitats remain favourable for use by amphibians.

Laneside Liaison Group
This group was established by the Council in 2008 as a requirement of the Legal Agreement linked to the planning permission. It was set up to provide a forum for the operator to report on progress on the site and to act as a platform for any public complaints. Meetings are held at approximately 6 weekly intervals and members of the public affected by the operation of the landfill site are welcome to attend. The present chairperson is Rector Richard Steel and the committee include Parish Councillors and Kirklees Councillor Peter McBride. Representatives of the Council’s Mineral Planning Section and Tony Barry from Caseys always attend. A representative from the Environmental Agency attends when it is considered appropriate.
See forthcoming events for information regarding the next meeting.