A waste management firm has told how it is continuing to monitor gas production at a controversial Derbyshire landfill site after nearby residents who have repeatedly complained about a number of issues have raised further recent concerns about an alleged smell and noise.
Duckmanton and Poolsbrook residents have previously complained about foul smells, flies, gulls, dust and noise at the Erin Landfill site, on Markham Lane, Duckmanton, and were disappointed last year when hopes for the land to be restored were quashed after Derbyshire County Council approved planning permission for Valencia Waste Management Ltd to build and operate a new Material Recycling Facility at the site.
Following further recent complaints from residents concerning a smell, noise and spillage this month, the Environment Agency and Derbyshire County Council representatives have visited the site and County Cllr Anne-Frances Hayes, who represents Staveley, and Staveley Town Cllr Mick Bagshaw have been invited to meet with Valencia to address their concerns for residents.
Cllr Bagshaw said: “I was heaving myself and felt like vomiting the stench was that bad. I only had to put up with it for three hours whilst I was delivering my leaflet and meeting residents.
“Residents have to put up with it during the landfill operating hours including weekends, young school children and teachers have to put up with it during lessons then can’t play out after because of stench.
“How can residents take time to relax in their gardens and enjoy the rare opportunity when the sun shines.”
Residents have been worried after they claimed a smell from last year which led to Valencia installing gas wells to resolve the issue has returned this year during March.
Cllr Hayes said she received a rise in complaints about the smell from the Erin Landfill over recent weeks and although the alleged odour is not reportedly as bad by comparison with previous allegations she said the situation is still very disappointing.
She added that she reported the matter to the Planning Enforcement Team at Derbyshire County Council and the Environment Agency whose representative visited the site on March 7.
Cllr Hayes said she was very disappointed to learn the landfill site manager had confirmed the complaints were likely due to Valencia carrying out gas emergency works without notifying residents.
The Environment Agency has carried out an investigation and found that gas emergency maintenance work has been carried out at the landfill site.
Cllr Bagshaw also complained that residents have had to put up with a massive mound of earth on the site which has created an ‘eyesore’ as they complained about soil slipping down the bank of the upfill at the site, exposing the membrane underneath and they also submitted complaints about works at the site being carried out outside agreed working hours.
The Planning Enforcement Department at Derbyshire County Council has been advised that soils have slid and exposed the cap at two areas on the northern slope of the site and reports stated this happened in late 2024 due to heavy rainfall but the cap remains intact and remediation works are planned during drier conditions.
Cllr Hayes who has also been concerned about the apparent soil slippage stressed she will continue to work with activists and councillors from across the country who also have landfill sites near homes including in Accrington, Canterbury and Greater Manchester by lobbying MPs to raise issues about creating stricter planning laws and more powers for the Environment Agency.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said it continues to receive and investigate reports of odours in the area around Duckmanton, Poolsbook and the Erin Landfill site and it is continuing to carry out inspections of all onsite activities to check compliance and it is liaising with the operator to carry out any necessary remediation.
The spokesperson added that inspections include looking for potential sources of landfill gas but the Environment Agency had not identified any significant sources at present but this ‘does not alter the fact that residents in the area are being impacted by odours’, according to the spokesperson.
Anyone with concerns has been urged to report odour issues to the Environment Agency via its 24-hour Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.
A Derbyshire County Council spokesperson confirmed the council has contacted the site operator and carried out an inspection and it has discussed issues around landslip with the landfill manager and the authority has been informed that work to restore soil slumps which slipped after heavy rain will start when the soil is drier.
The council spokesperson added: “While odour from landfill is regulated by the Environment Agency we were informed that in response to the concerns raised the operator carried out an inspection and found a slight leak in the landfill cap on the Duckmanton (south) side which was producing a slight localised odour. We understand additional pinning works to seal the cap edge were being carried out.”
Derbyshire County Council stated that residents can report any work taking place outside permitted hours to its planning service by email and concerns about odour should be reported to the Environment Agency.
A Valencia spokesperson said: “The Erin landfill site holds a valid planning permission and environment permit from the Environment Agency. We continue to monitor gas production and operate landfill gas engines onsite to manage this gas.
“In recent months extensive work has occurred across the site with temporary, and permanent capping as the site moves into the next phase of its development. Valencia has also invested heavily in drilling 25 additional landfill gas wells to capture and extract gases before generating energy with engines located onsite.
“We are sorry that residents feel operations are occurring outside of our permitted activity.”
Valencia stated the landfill site is permitted to operate tipping activity between 7am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, and 7am to 1pm, on Saturday, with covering soil activities, and site monitoring and maintenance activities occurring outside of these hours.
The Valencia spokesperson added: “We are committed to keeping residents informed of key activities onsite.”
Valencia invited any members of the community with any queries to contact the firm through its ‘community relations line’ at enquiries@valencia.co.uk.
Cllr Bagshaw, who has been invited to a site meeting with Valencia on March 26, has argued that a former landfill liaison committee which was set up eight years ago and has since ‘apparently’ been closed down needs re-establishing to allow the community to have a voice.
Residents had already complained before the additional recycling facility was given the go-ahead at the landfill site in July that they have already suffered with the waste tip for many years and they want the land restored.
They have previously repeatedly complained about foul smells, flies, gulls, dust and noise at the landfill site and they had hoped that by now the site would have been restored into a nature reserve rather than being further developed.
Poolsbrook resident Jacqueline Blackwell told the county council’s planning committee in July she was very concerned about pollution and the significance of methane gas and more rubbish coming into the area not least because of the nearby Poolsbrook Country Park.
Valencia has stated it expects to operate the Erin landfill site until 2035 with a possible further two years for any subsequent restoration work when the area may be subject to possible remediation.
In April, 2021, the previous Erin Landfill owner Viridor was granted a 14-year extension until May, 2035, by the county council allowing the waste tip to remain open and to be filled for the foreseeable future, despite residents’ complaints about foul smells, flies, gulls, dust and noise and hopes that by now the site would have been restored into a nature reserve.
