I  attended a site meeting at Valencia Wast Management on Friday 10th May set up by local CCls from St Stephens Mel Dawkins and Harry McKenzie Sturry Broad Oak. Reps from SABORA Sturry & Broad oak, Resident Association and Sturry Parish Council and me representing residents of Hales Place, St Stephens. A chance to speak to Valencia Waste Management first hand and see the recycling facility they're seeking retrospective planning permission for and ask questions about the site.

Valencia claimed not to know about the security fences being down on the East side Hales Place side, even though CCL Mel Dawkins had been in contact with them, and the the EA has been informed, it turns out that other significant fences are also down on the Sturry side of the site as well which other residents reported at the meeting. It was concerning they are not getting the basics done.

They were unable to give us any info if site inspections of the parameters were still happening and did not mention anything about EA checking security with them either. The Environment Agency had informed us via our MP Rosie Duffield a month ago that security issues had been checked at the site, this was clearly not the case as fences are still down.

Valencia representatives for the site could not clarify if they were testing air quality around the perimeter or where and when they tested runoff water etc.

Valencia Waste Managemnet reps were not happy to be filmed or recorded either how the recycling plant would operate.

The recycling process it seems means only the worst stuff would end up on the landfill but more of it, less plasterboard yes good, re to stop fires etc,  but what about contaminated soil etc? how are they testing it was not shared in any fine detail.

We are waiting for documents to be sent over as yet they are not forthcoming. 

We asked how their plans fit with the reservoir plans next to it in eight years? which they also claimed to know nothing about.

They do want to bring additional waste to the facility area which is very close to the road, to be recycled and only 30 percent of which will be sold and taken away. As it recyled before it gets here by the companies.

In our view it would be far better if the facility meant less waste was now going onto the dump now due to the recycling, but this is not the case! The same amount would be going on the landfill which is now a huge pile. 

Re landfill height, which is another issue it starting to tower over homes. Valencia said the pile would sink down but could not say how long that would take and by how much so no evidence to back this up. How tall is this pile allowed to be is something we want to know?

It seems according to the info Valencia Waste Managment put into the EA, they will only measure the test dust particles - once a year independently that is not enough, we think it should be constantly tested.

Trommel Fines – The Small Particles Producing the Big Headaches. Trommel Fines is the product resulting from waste transfer sites when they receive material and put it through large cylinders ('trommels') which then separate the material by size.

They downplayed peoples concern about the stink and one said all landfill smell this was part of them, and nothing could be done to stop this which was concerning.

No one will be works at the site at evenings or weekends. Raising the question what if there is a fire during those times for instance? This was not fully addressed nor issue of worst smells in the evenings. 

They admitted the facility was the one destined for Derby the Erin site, Staveley Town Council have objected to an application for an MFR “in the strongest terms on account of the nuisance from flies, noise, smells and lorries coming through." who “oppose their planning application without reserve.” 

It was concerning they misinformed everyone at the meeting they had planning permission at Erin, this is not the case; they just want it as they do in Canterbury. It still pending planning approval as it is here in Canterbury.

It clear the Environmental Agency needs to be given greater powers to hold operators to account & for stricter laws on landfill operation.

An independent study has been commissioned into the effects of emissions from a landfill site by Staffordshire County Council, researchers are speaking to residents, about the impact of the ongoing issues around Walleys Quarry on mental and physical health. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd1qqd885e1o

This will make interesting reading and be able to inform us and our councils about the public health issues.

I was informed by an EA worker Shelford should have been built so close to residential homes in the first place.

It currently has 12 years left to run, we are asking for the KCC council to start winding down activity at it, especially in light of the councils wider green plan and South East Water (SEW) plans for a reservoir in Broad Oak next to it.

“The reservoir is necessary to meet the growing demand as well as allowing us to reduce our abstractions on environmentally sensitive groundwater sources in the area.”

We need independent ground water testing across the site and next to it as a matter or urgency.