Illegal Aldridge tip told to close down

Bosses at Walsall Council say no planning permission was given to Aldridge Aggregates & Recycling to open on a commercial site off Middlemore Lane.

The owners of the site have now been warned by the council and the Environment Agency that enforcement action will be taken if work continues.

A local resident, who did not want to be named, said he first saw lots of pallets being put on the site, called Aldridge Aggregates & Recycling, about four to five months ago.

He added: "Over the last couple of weeks we have been noticing flies in the house.

"It is awful, there is noise pollution, it is the noise, it stinks on there."

Action is also being threatened against firms who continue to take their waste to the site.

Simon Neilson, Walsall Council's executive director for economy and environment, said: "Walsall Council is aware that an aggregate and timber recycling facility has started operating on a commercial site off Middlemore Lane, Aldridge.

"This site presently does not have planning permission for this form of activity, as a result of which, planning officers formally raised this with the site operator at the end of May – requiring operations to cease within 28 days subject to a successful planning application being submitted."

He said that a company representing the operator claimed a planning application would be submitted before the end of the month.

Mr Neilson added: "When received, we will undertake consultation with residents and local business.

"The Environment Agency has notified the operator that a permit is required or activities should cease.

"In conjunction with this, the council's pollution control service is currently dealing with several complaints relating to the site that include emissions of noise and dust.

"If operations continue and matters are not satisfactorily addressed, the council will consider more formal action."

The Environment Agency said it has notified the site operators to either cease operations or apply for a permit.

Area environment manager Mark Smith added: "We are aware of the illegal waste site operating on Middlemore Lane, Aldridge.

"We have told the site operators to either cease operating or apply for a permit and stop taking waste until a decision on the permit application has been made.

"If they don't comply with this we will take action against them. We are informing all companies taking waste to this site to stop doing so immediately.

"We will look to take action against any companies who continue to transport waste to this site." The tip was not operating yesterday.

Management from Aldridge Aggregates & Recycling have been unavailable for comment.

It is not the only recycling firm to have operated illegally on land in the borough.

In March this year, AB Waste Management Ltd was fined £50,000 after continuing operations next to a cemetery. Relatives were forced to wash down headstones that were covered in grime from the company in Cemetery Road, James Bridge.

The company admitted five counts of breaching an enforcement notice issued by Walsall Council.

The firm was first served with notices in 2012 for using two sites at the base without correct planning permission.

It was required to cease activity at the old Railway Tavern and Junction Works by either September or November 2013.

But it carried on its waste sorting and vehicle storage activities until last year. The company lodged appeals but a planning inspector ruled in the council's favour.