Temporary closure plea to tackle factory smell

Campaigner Ummer Daraz says odours from the plant off Leeds Road are causing "misery" to nearby residents and businesses

Campaigners have called for the temporary closure of a factory in Bradford while tests are carried out on the smells it emits.

The call was made at a full meeting of Bradford Council on Tuesday as part of a petition signed by over 1,800 people complaining of odours from the Waddingtons plant.

Ummer Daraz, who runs a structural engineering practice in the area and who is leading the campaign, said: "What we want is an end to the smell."

A spokesman for P. Waddington & Co 1947 Ltd, which runs the plant that converts dead livestock, zoo animals and roadkill into biofuels and other by-products, said a testing and monitoring plan would be agreed once an independent consultant had visited the site.

Earlier this year, campaigners demanded urgent action to deal with what they said was an "unbearable stench" coming from the site, off Leeds Road, which has been operating since 1947 and which was previously an abattoir.

'Stop this misery'

Mr Daraz said: "If you think about it, this type of business is in the wrong place. It's in the middle of a densely populated area, right next door to the town centre," he explained.

"Our aim as a campaign is to stop this misery being inflicted on the local population."

Responding, Alistair Collins, operations director for P. Waddington & Co 1947 Ltd, said: "An independent environmental consultant is due to visit the site in the coming weeks.

"Following the consultant's input, we will develop and agree a testing and monitoring plan in conjunction with the council.

"We will provide a more detailed statement once that is agreed."

The site in Bradford was set up as an abattoir before later being changed into rendering plant

A spokesperson for Bradford Council said a "range of actions" had been agreed with the company following several reports of unpleasant odours and emissions from the plant over the summer months.

A dedicated environmental health officer had been assigned to carry out regular inspections and ongoing monitoring of the factory, they said.

Meanwhile, a specialist company had also been commissioned to undertake air quality and odour assessments, alongside checks on emissions from the site's chimneys.

The council spokesperson added: "Where improvements are required, Waddingtons will be held to account to make sure they are delivered and continued compliance will be monitored closely."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.