Since my previous update about the site off Porthill Road, I have had further conversations with Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the Environment Agency.
I am pleased to say it appears progress is being made:
Since raising your concerns about digging and foul odours at the old Middleport Pottery landfill the Council did a site visit.
The site visit found significant operations underway. Trees and vegetation had been removed and land levels changed.
The Council asked that all works on the site cease voluntarily. The operators then stopped their work on site.
A further site visit found that material removed from the landfill was being stored at the neighbouring waste transfer site. It was agreed this material would be returned to the landfill and the site re-levelled.
The Council believe the work to return the area to how it was before digging began is now complete. Once the ground settles the odours should subside.
What’s happening now:
Concerns remain about the operation of the waste transfer and recycling centre, where breaches of permit have been found.
The Environment Agency is planning another site visit to the waste facility shortly. Should the company still be in breach of its permit a no-nonsense approach will be taken by the Environment Agency.
This could mean partial suspension of operations at the site, if the problems haven’t been sorted.
The company’s retrospective planning application for their waste facility is still being considered by the Council. It is hoped that the Planning Committee will deal with the application in late March.
I would encourage anyone with further complaints to report them to the Environment Agency’s hotline - 0800 60 70 80
