Landfill at centre of odour row allowed to take more waste

Nation.Cymru staff

A landfill at the centre of longstanding odour complaints has been given permission to accept an additional 50,000 tonnes of waste soil and stone a year for restoration work.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has approved changes to the permit for Withyhedge Landfill near Haverfordwest, despite objections from Pembrokeshire County Council.

The regulator said the revised permit imposed stronger controls on the site, operated by Resources Management UK Ltd (RML). A separate investigation into environmental permit breaches remains ongoing.

The additional material must be suitable for restoration and used in accordance with a plan approved by NRW. It is intended for work such as engineering and capping, rather than an increase in general waste disposal.

The site’s previous permit allowed it to accept 250,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste annually.

The changes include tighter requirements for managing landfill gas and leachate, the liquid that collects as water passes through waste. They also cover the completion of waste disposal sections and monitoring of groundwater and surface water.

A Pembrokeshire County Council spokesperson said the authority was “disappointed” by the decision.

“The council was consulted on the application and did not support the proposed variation,” they said.

“We recognise the concerns raised by local residents and will continue to engage with NRW and the site operator to ensure the site operates in full compliance with its permit conditions and environmental standards.”

NRW said it had considered technical evidence, environmental risks and responses from residents, community groups and other organisations before reaching its decision.

Some concerns raised during consultation fell outside the matters it could legally consider, the regulator said.

Nicholas Bettinson, NRW’s permitting service manager, said: “We recognise the impact previous odour issues had on local communities and understand why people feel strongly.

“Our role is to regulate in line with the law. Where an application meets the required standards, we are obliged to issue the permit.

“We will continue to closely regulate and monitor the site and take action where necessary.”

Paul Davies, MS for Ceredigion Penfro, said residents needed evidence that the new requirements would be enforced.

“But after everything communities surrounding Withyhedge have already endured, words about stronger controls will not be enough,” he told the Western Telegraph.

“Residents have lived with unacceptable odours, disruption and months of uncertainty.”

Mr Davies said people had attended meetings, submitted evidence and repeatedly raised concerns about the site.

“There can be no return to the situation local communities experienced previously and no tolerance of further breaches of environmental regulations,” he said.

“The burden is now on Natural Resources Wales and the operator to rebuild the confidence of local communities – and that will be achieved through actions, not words.”

NRW’s Industry Regulations team is conducting the investigation into permit breaches separately from the decision on the application.

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.