Hoad’s Wood: campaigners aim to spark action from EA with legal letter

Campaign had targeted start date of July 31 for clearance of illegally dumped landfill waste

Frustration at the lack of action in clearing a wood of illegally dumped landfill waste has prompted legal action from campaigners.
It had been hoped that the Environment Agency would have begun clearance operations at Hoad’s Wood, near Bethersden, by July 31 at the latest, but so far there has been no evidence of any such work on site, while the continued production of landfill gases in the hot weather and the impact of leachate is exacerbating an already appalling situation by the day.
Some four acres of the wood had been wrecked by the illegal dumping of landfill waste, causing campaigners to demand government approval for a £10 million budget for full clearance of the site and its replanting with native species.
In April, Rescue Hoads Wood, CPRE Kent, Kent Wildlife Trust, the RSPB, the Woodland Trust, South East Rivers Trust and CLA South East (Country Land and Business Association) wrote to Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, asking him to sanction the release of emergency funds to begin the clean-up.
And on Thursday, May 23, a ministerial direction was published on the government’s website, GOV.UK, ordering the wood be cleared of the waste, with the cost of the operation down to the EA.
The agency delivered an action plan and timeline for the clearance to Mr Barclay on May 31 and was instructed further to provide a fortnightly update on progress from June 7.
However, delays in this process and a lack of tangible action at the site itself led to Rescue Hoads Wood instructing legal counsel Leigh Day to send a letter to the EA in a bid to get it to commit to a concrete timeline to clear the site.
A spokesman for the campaign group said: “We felt compelled to pursue legal action because of the EA’s delays and lack of a concrete timeline for clearing the illegal waste.
“The inaction led to 30,000 tonnes of waste being illegally dumped despite proactive community reporting.
“Following the ministerial directive, the EA initially aimed to use a framework contractor, which we believed was the quickest solution.
“However, the EA has now opted for an open tender, with an anticipated contract award around September 23, four months after the directive.
“None of the dates are concrete, and without demonstrating our seriousness, we fear the EA will continue to delay the clean-up.”
Some £1,800 was raised through crowdfunding in just three days to cover the costs of the legal letter.

• To read more about the campaign to rescue Hoad’s Wood, click here