We oppose the retrospective planning application from Valencia Waste Management for a Material Recycling Facility MRF at Shelford Landfill Canterbury and associated works. 

 Valencia have built the facility without planning permission or any public consultation. Public health and the environment need to come first.

We insist that Kent and Canterbury Council make public, all EA investigations and compliance documentation of the site so that transparency is maintained with the public at all times.

The planning application is entirely inappropriate as existing commercial landfill site has longstanding emission issues, and the efforts made by Valencia to mitigate these known issues remain ineffective. The plans do not fully consider health implications of pollution from additional lorries, dust, noise, air and water table pollution and potential fire hazards at the site in the evidence it has provided.

The existing issues of longstanding emissions should be the priority, rather than introducing additional new potential hazards with out independent evidence to fully back up.

There is a history of complaints about persistent, intense, and offensive odours from the existing site. The Shelford site has presented serious problems for some years, diminishing quality of life by emitting strong odours year-round, that affect the health, wellbeing, and amenity of the population of Canterbury, Broad Oak, and Sturry. The wind direction is unpredictable around the site, as witnessed by residents when stench from the site affected the whole city for months and in recent weeks across a noxious odour has been an issue in wider areas.

The company is currently failing to maintain adequate safety for the public, fences around the site, 200 hundred meters from residents in Hales Meadow, are down. There is no warning signage up and fly tipping is occurring. 

We ask this to be investigated, as the company is bound to monitor site emissions monthly around its perimeter?  Again, we have grave concerns with the EA letting landfill companies self-report air quality and emissions we ask that this be done independently.

This site is in close proximity to St Stephens Infant and Primary School, The Archbishops School and Kent University. Residential and commercial properties are located close to the proposed MRF location. The site is 100m from a public retail outlet and 200m from residential homes. 200m off Broad Oak Road/ Shalloak Road, 430m Broad Oak Lodge, 630m Sturry Road.  880m from Vauxhall Avenue. A Community Park and play space is 750m southeast of the facility. Hales Place (850m west) and its play park. Stodmarsh wetlands are located approximately 1.9km east, designated as a Natural Nature Reserve, Special area of Conservation, Special Protection Area and Ramsar, a wetland of international importance is 1.7km of the MRF. The site is just west of West Blean and Thornden Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest, where the innovative Wilder Blean Initiative is underway, including the introduction of Bison.

The surface water outflow from the Valencia site, feeds into the Great Stour to the south of the Shelford site. We want all water areas across the site and near it tested for pollution by independent regulators. Water, Air and dust pollution are linked with serious health issues, dementia, and life expectancy. Current regulation is far too limited to reassure. The council and government need to take further action to address this.

Across the UK Valencia Waste Management’s track record is concerning with ongoing and current negative press in Derby and Manchester for emission issues, a five-day fire in Dunbar in August last year, as well as being fined £3million last year for the deaths of two workers at separate sites. 

The giant MRF building is in a different location, design and height size to any building they had planning for twenty years ago. Documents they provide show they started researching initial research in early 2023 but made no effort to consult the wider community.

It seems no coincidence planning permission was ignored by Valencia in Canterbury, as they face very strong local opposition for a similar MRF facility in its Staveley site Derby by its council and public. 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."

Valencia Director Grant Scott’s cover letter to planning downplays the situation here and at other sites. He writes ‘In the meantime, delays to planning at other sites meant that a pre-ordered steel frame building and associated recycling plant and equipment for another site needed to be utilised because if not delivered would have incurred significant cost.’ It’s clear from his statement that profits are more important to the company than due process.

Canterbury planning office and Canterbury Council needs to demonstrate due regard to residents’ health, safety and well-being residents in Hales Place, St Stevens, Sturry and Honor Oak and across Canterbury and beyond and the wider reputation of the city as there is very real prospect of increased pollution, smell, flies, vermin dust and fire issues.

 “Seventeen landfills across England are known to be producing a highly toxic liquid substance containing some banned and potentially carcinogenic “forever chemicals”, in some cases at levels 260 times higher than that deemed safe for drinking water. “ The government has not shared names if Shelford is one, this also needs to be made known?

We demand the council along with government take responsibility for ensuring proper regulation and oversight of such facilities to protect their constituents' health, well-being, and quality of life. Due to its proximity to residential homes, schools, and significant environmental sites, the age of the site and its size and the companies national track record to date, this application should not be granted and the commercial activity at the site should be wound down and the area rewilded.