Time extension for landfill site rejected

Complaints had been made about materials falling from lorries

An application to extend the duration of recycling operations at Nottinghamshire’s last landfill site until 2029 has been rejected by a council.

Daneshill Landfill site near Retford has permission to deposit non-hazardous waste until 2048 but is only used for this purpose intermittently.

FCC Environment had wanted to separately continue importation, storage and stockpiling of construction and demolition waste, which it had done from 2018 to 2023.

But after hearing complaints about material escaping from lorries, traffic and disruption, the county council rejected the move.

Speaking on behalf of Lound Parish Council, Misterton county councillor Tracey Taylor (Con) said: “[There are] regular incidences of vehicles in roadside ditches on the narrow lanes and repeated debris shed from unsheeted loads.

“Despite [existing] planning conditions, we seem unable to enforce those conditions.”

The county council's planning and rights of way committee, which rejected the application on Tuesday, previously considered an application for the importation of potentially contaminated soils and approved it in principle.

This was assessed by the Secretary of State due to the absence of an environmental impact assessment - and was ultimately refused.

There is an ongoing public inquiry regarding the applicant’s appeals against these refusals.

Ms Taylor told the the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It would keep the door open for operations which are not yet permitted, but about which the applicant is embroiled in the ongoing legal regulatory challenges.”

The wider landfill is occasionally active based on local market demands,  and last operated from August 2021 to May 2023.

Final site restoration is required by 2048 according to an approved restoration masterplan but a large area has already been restored to woodland and grass.