Don't forget to send your OBJECTIONs to Permit Variation Application EPR/XP3434HX - Shelford Landfill Site. The consultation ends 15th Dec read and comment here
https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/psc/ct2-0pu-valencia-waste-kent-ltd-xp3434hx-v018/
Key reasons for Objection
Existing Compliance Issues: The operator is already alleged to be operating outside its current permit conditions, with reports of vehicles entering the site before permitted hours and operating on Sundays. If current limits cannot be maintained, an increase in capacity is seen as unfeasible and likely to lead to further breaches.
Increased Traffic and Safety Risks: Doubling the annual waste throughput would significantly increase the number of heavy goods vehicle (HGV)
Movements on local roads, leading to more air pollution, noise, and road safety concerns for local residents and pedestrians. Am already passing multiple
Waste trucks on the ring road acound canterbury causing more conjestion on every trip round it. This application would cause grid lock.
Environmental and Amenity Impacts: A higher volume of waste will exacerbate existing issues with dust, noise, and foul odours, which are already a
problem for nearby residents. It also raises concerns about potential fire hazards and water contamination as more of the worst stuff is going on the pile
which is now towering over homes and possible landslide.
Low Recycling Performance: The facility's stated recovery rate is only around 30%, meaning a large proportion (70%) of the additional material would still
end up in the landfill, working against local goals for a greener, more sustainable city.
Operator's Track Record: Valencia Waste Management has faced criticism for emission issues at other sites and a significant fire incident.
Lack of Transparency: The application lacks clarity and sufficient detail regarding the source and volume of the additional waste, and number of
Additonall lorries as well as the cumulative impact of increased operations on the environment and public health.
It seems 2 of the company directors have also just set up an AI company and are asking for planning permission to build and run AI hub that would need huge. Amounts of water and vast and ongoing additional waste to fuel it over a substained amount of time, thus making the mountain of waste even bigger and adding to the areas carbon issues, it would also need additional power to do this.
Parts of the site have now reached max height, There is no room for more waste. This site should be starting the long process to rewilding not increasing the amount of carbon in the area. This is an outdated way of making fuel as it causes more pollution. It seems there may have also been issues with the company rewilding other sites effectively.
So far the situation re recyling seem to mere greenwashing as the amount of commercial waste going onto the landfill levels have risen dramatically since the last permit was granted for the recyling center.
Public health needs to be prioritised in the area.
Water around the site needs to be independently tested as does the contents of the landfill.
The EA needs to take action and not approve this permit, otherwise there are concerns it will be footing the bill for yet another cleanup. A new site and better ways of processing waste needs to be found far away from homes to take over from Shelford at this stage, any further expansion should not be allowed.
Example letter
Dear Enivronment Agency. I am writing to formally object to the permit variation application by Valencia Waste Kent Limited to increase the annual throughput at Shelford Landfill Site (EPR/XP3434HX) from 250,000 tonnes per year to 500,000 tonnes per year. SITE DETAILS:
● Permit Number: EPR/XP3434HX
● Site: Shelford Landfill Site, Shalloak Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 0PU
● Operator: Valencia Waste Kent Limited GROUNDS FOR OBJECTION: 1. EXISTING COMPLIANCE FAILURES Valencia is already operating outside its permitted conditions at the current 250,000 tonne capacity:
● Vehicles entering before 7:00 AM: Kent County Council has investigated complaints about vehicles entering the site before the permitted start time of 7:00 AM
● Sunday working violations: Residents have reported the site operating on Sundays, which appears to be outside permitted operating hours
● Late compliance reporting: Environment Agency Compliance Assessment Report dated 29/09/2025 records a breach of permit condition 4.2.4 for failure to submit waste returns by the deadline If Valencia cannot comply with current permit conditions at 250,000 tonnes, they should not be granted permission to double throughput to 500,000 tonnes.
2. CLAIMS ABOUT TRAFFIC IMPACT Valencia claims the increase from 250,000 to 500,000 tonnes will not result in additional lorry movements. This is mathematically impossible. Realistic calculation (assuming 20-tonne average payload):
● Current (250,000 tonnes): 12,500 truck deliveries/year = 50 deliveries/day = 100 vehicle movements/day
● Proposed (500,000 tonnes): 25,000 truck deliveries/year = 100 deliveries/day = 200 vehicle movements/day
● Increase: 12,500 additional trucks/year = 50 additional deliveries/day = 100 additional vehicle movements/day This represents a DOUBLING of truck traffic on local roads. Valencia's claim of "no additional lorry movements" suggests either:
a) They plan to operate outside permitted hours to accommodate the additional traffic b) They are deliberately misleading regulators and the public c) Current trucks are running half-empty (wasteful and unlikely)
3. INADEQUATE OPERATING HOURS FOR DOUBLED THROUGHPUT Given that Valencia is already allegedly working beyond permitted hours (including Sundays and before 7:00 AM) to handle 250,000 tonnes, it is physically impossible to handle 500,000 tonnes within current permitted operating hours without either:
● Extended operating hours (causing unacceptable noise, dust, and air pollution for longer periods)
● Continued and worsened violations of time restrictions
● Dangerously increased vehicle movements concentrated into permitted hours (safety risk) 4. ENVIRONMENTAL AND AMENITY IMPACTS Doubling throughput will result in:
● Double the dust emissions affecting local residents
● Double the noise pollution from both site operations and traffic
● Double the odour complaints
● Double the air pollution from diesel truck emissions
● Increased risk of fires (given Valencia's recent fire incidents at other sites)
● Double the strain on local road infrastructure
● Significantly increased risk to pedestrians and other road users on Shalloak Road and Broad Oak Road 5. POOR RECYCLING PERFORMANCE Valencia's stated recovery rate is only 30%, meaning 70% of processed material (350,000 tonnes at the proposed capacity) will still end up in landfill. This does not represent genuine recycling or environmental benefit.
6. OPERATOR'S TRACK RECORD Valencia Waste Management has:
● Ongoing negative press for emission issues at sites in Derby and Manchester
● A five-day fire incident in Dunbar in August 2024
● Been fined £3 million for the deaths of two workers at separate sites
● Built the Shelford facility without planning permission or EA permit (retrospective application) This track record demonstrates Valencia's disregard for regulatory compliance and safety.
REQUESTED ACTION: I respectfully request that the Environment Agency:
1. REFUSE this permit variation application
2. Conduct a full site inspection to verify current compliance before considering any capacity increase
3. Investigate the alleged Sunday working and early morning vehicle movements
4. Require Valencia to demonstrate full compliance with existing permit conditions for a sustained period (minimum 12 months) before any variation is considered
5. If the application proceeds, require a comprehensive traffic impact assessment, extended public consultation, and binding commitments on operating hours and vehicle movements