Walsall landfill site granted permission to operate for another four years

Members of Walsall Council’s planning committee on Thursday (November 27) were presented with two options for Highfields South Landfill on Walsall Road.

One was to approve the extension, meaning owner Enovert can completely fill the site before restoring it to a public amenity space under a Section 106 agreement.

The other was to refuse permission, meaning all operations would have to cease on December 31, 2025, leaving a ‘partly filled hole of rotting material’.

After a previous extension of nine years granted in 2016, Enovert has now been granted the further extension to December 31, 2029.

Speaking against the plans, ward members for Aldridge North and Walsall Wood, Councillor Keith Sears, said: “Residents of Walsall Wood, Shelfield and surrounding areas have put up with the stink and noise and mud on the roads.

“Enough is enough. It’s affecting people’s health. It’s not good for children’s health either. When it’s nice weather the children can’t enjoy playing in the gardens, it’s disgusting that people have to live like this in their own homes.”

Planning manager for the company, Sarah Holland, said: “Without this additional time significant remedial works would still be necessary and an alternative restoration scheme would need to be devised and delivered.

“Leaving the site in an unfinished state would be highly undesirable both environmentally and the loss of potential of the site becoming an amenity asset for the local community.”

Councillor Mike Bird, planning committee chair, said: “Whilst I appreciate the permit is from the Environment Agency, it would appear that you haven’t been as diligent as you could have been from complaints from residents. Can we have an assurance that this will see a tighter regime.”

Mark Sylvester, CEO of Enovert, gave his assurance and said new additional odour control measures had been implemented since the peak of complaints in 2019 and 2020.

He added that four years is longer than needed to fully complete the programme and restoration.

Moving that the application be approved, Councillor Mark Statham said: “A refusal would generate a continual hazard forevermore and we’d lose all the benefits of the Section 106 and future landscaping.

“The biodegradable material is there unless the job is finished, refusal doesn’t mean the existing problem goes away, it just means it stays for longer.”

Councillor Mike Bird added: “There is some scope for the local community to enjoy what they’re going to end up with, which is far better than what they’ve got now. So short term pain and long term gain as I see it.”