Kiveton Park fire site owner feels 'let down' by Environment Agency

Illegally stored waste at the Kiveton Park site repeatedly reignited to keep the fire burning for months

The owner of an industrial estate near Sheffield which was hit by a long-burning fire has said he feels "let down" by the Environment Agency (EA).

Alfie Best owns the Kiveton Park site where a fire burned for four months after breaking out in September 2022.

Mr Best said the site had been leased to a third party company and that the EA had granted that firm a licence to store waste.

The EA said it was unable to comment due to an ongoing investigation.

"We feel very let down by the Environment Agency that allowed this to happen in the first place," Mr Best said.

"They allowed someone on site, granted them a licence to store waste on site, legally and correctly.

"At no point were we ever consulted, they were going to grant the licence and then they didn't control the licence."

The company, which has not been named, has since been evicted from the site by Mr Best's firm Best Holdings Ltd.

Fire crews spent four months from September to the start of January tackling the blaze

Rotherham Council has served an enforcement notice, which said there had been "unauthorised" waste deposited on the site.

The notice requires the site's owners to stop using it to store waste within seven days and to clear it within six months.

Mr Best said his company would appeal against that and feels it has been blamed for something it did not cause.

"We feel we've been hung out to dry, it is very easy to point the finger without the full facts."

He expects the cost of clearing the site will be almost £500,000 and said the company had asked the EA for help.

"We've been trying to find a better way, with no help at all financially or otherwise, to help us clear this waste," he said.

The EA said it was continuing to investigate historical activities on the site to understand any legislative breaches which may have occurred.