Support our Nation today - please donate here
News

Construction company fined for polluting stream

31 Jan 2024 2 minute read
Photo NRW

A construction company has been fined almost £50,000 for polluting a stream while building new homes

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) successfully prosecuted Edenstone Homes Limited for polluting the stream while it was building homes in Lisvane, Cardiff.

The construction company was fined £48,000 at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court earlier this month for causing a major discharge of mud and silt from the Beaufort Park site on Lisvane Road into a small tributary of the Nant Glandulais.

NRW officers who investigated the incident in April 2022, observed that the pollution had impacted at least a 400 metre stretch of the stream, with heavy silt deposits visible in the water and on the gravel bed of the tributary.

The high levels of suspended solids in the stream had a harmful impact on water quality and ecology, killing most of the insects in the affected stretch.

Silt pollution can also reduce spawning and hatching of fish eggs and at very high levels can also kill fish.

Monitoring

Fiona Hourahine, Operations Manager for Natural Resources Wales, said: “Protecting our rivers from pollution is one of our top priorities.

“Edenstone Homes Limited was aware of the risks of silt pollution and had put in place measures, such as silt fencing and an earth bund, to prevent contaminated water run-off from entering the watercourse.

“Despite our officers visiting the site and providing pollution prevention advice, monitoring and maintenance of these measures was neglected, resulting in a pollution of a large stretch of the stream and killing insects and other wildlife in the river.

“We will not hesitate to take enforcement action against companies whose actions are polluting Wales’ rivers, damaging the environment and harming local wildlife.”

Since the pollution incident in 2022, the company has been compliant with NRW’s requests to improve the site’s pollution prevention measures, with further prevention measures installed with routine monitoring

In addition to the fine, the company was ordered to pay costs of £6,572.23 to NRW and a victim surcharge of £190.


Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Olaf Burgermann
Olaf Burgermann
8 months ago

Np doubt all costed into the project before it even began. Until they take real action against the crooks that run development companies like banning their directors from operating and ever setting up new companies, then nothing will actually change.

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.