Clearing ‘putrid’ Wakefield waste site to 'protect human health' could cost over £30m

The cost of clearing a waste site said to pose “a real and ongoing risk to the environment and human health” could exceed £30m, a public inquiry heard.

A hearing was told almost 250,000 tonnes of material need to be removed from the site in South Elmsall.

Details of the costs were revealed at a Planning Inspectorate hearing being held over proposals to extend the life of the facility by a further ten years.

In March this year, Minore, also known as Mineral Processing Ltd, had its operational permit for the site at Hacking Lane revoked by the Environment Agency (EA) to “protect human health.”

The company has also been ordered to remove all waste from the site by 2029 and will be committing an offence if it does not comply.

The site is a former brickworks and quarry now used for the storage of waste and treatment to produce soil and aggregate.

Minore lodged an appeal after Wakefield Council officers refused an application to allow the site to remain open for another ten years.

The decision came after hundreds of residents complained about a “putrid smell”, dust and litter coming from the facility.

Philip Robson, a barrister representing the local authority, told the hearing that the EA had stated there was currently 249,641 tonnes of waste material at the site.

He said: “The revocation notice requires that all of this is removed.

“The appellant’s own calculation to remove 180,000 tonnes of waste is that this would cost £22,680,000 in landfill tax alone.

“If this applies to around 250,000 tonnes of waste, that would rise to £31.5m.

“This does not include the cost of the works to complete the removals and any other associated costs, including management of any wastes determined to be hazardous.

“The overall cost is likely, therefore, to be materially higher.”

Mr Robson said the site was within a “strategically important” area for the council as it had been allocated for a housing development of up to 467 homes under its Local Plan, which was adopted in 2024 and sets out a framework for development across the district.

He said: “The restoration of the quarry is essential for the full delivery of this strategic allocation.

“It is essential then that the site is restored as soon as possible.”

Earlier this year, a planning inspector upheld the EA’s decision to issue a revocation notice following a separate public inquiry.

A report at the time, said: “In this case the evidence demonstrates that the way in which this site is operated presents a real and ongoing risk to the environment and human health.”

Minore was originally granted permission in 2011 to extract ash from the site and import inert material and soils for a seven-year period

The scheme also included restoring the site to a meadow, wetland and ponds.

Mr Robson said: “It is patently unviable for this or any other operator to comply with the revocation notice and extract ash at a commercial profit.

“All of this is entirely a result of the appellant’s appalling conduct and management of the site.

“This has been known to the appellant since the start of the appeal.

“It is a paradigm example of unreasonable conduct and forms the basis of the council’s application for a full award of cost.”

John Carlon, a consultant representing site owner and Minore director Andrew Askew, said the facility could continue to operate while properties were constructed within the allocation area.

He said: “It will not impinge upon the development of the wider site for housing and employment land and the risk of pollution is small.”

The hearing, being held at Wakefield Town Hall, continues.