Laneside Landfill Site

The site is known as Laneside Quarry as the entrance was on Laneside when it was earlier known as Kirkheaton Brickworks.  The entrance is now via Grange Moor Road at the top of the site.

July 2022

 The Laneside Community Trust has been set up as a liaison mechanism between Kirkheaton residents and Thomas Crompton, demolition/waste management contractor and owner and operator of Laneside Quarry [accessed from Grange Moor Road].  A number of Kirkheaton residents represent the village on the Trust.

Planning permission was originally granted to fill the quarry with household waste.  This permit has now been amended to provide for the disposal of inert waste and soils.  Therefore, no household waste will be deposited in the quarry.  However, the quarry basin will be lined with clay as a precautionary measure.

Work has commenced and, in due course, the stream running through the woodland valley will be diverted around the top side of the quarry.  This is necessary to complete the work and is included in the planning consent.  The company is conscious of the need to protect the wildlife and to keep the quarry safe.  They have erected security cameras and other safety measures in and around the approaches to the quarry and are looking at measures to improve footpaths.

In consultation with Kirklees planning and ecologists, work is ongoing to fulfil the planning permission requirements to maintain the environment around the quarry, in particular, to benefit the great-crested newts, birds, mammals, frogs, butterflies and dragonflies.

There is a plan to hold an open day at the quarry in coming months.  If any resident has any concerns about the landfill operation, you are invited to express those concerns in writing to the Trust chairman, Ray Brown, at raybrownuk@yahoo.co.uk.

July 2021

Since they took over the landfill site in 2020 Thomas Crompton’s have been active in finding out about their recent purchase.
A team of ecologist have being on site recording all the wildlife and their activities. They are also checking the ponds to ensure that the water is not polluted and that the great crested newts are thriving.
The central area is now fenced off to allow several highland cattle and their calves to roam.
A small area in the middle has some geese and ducks, and a family of three pygmy goats.
They have also asked the Environment Agency and Kirklees Planning to permanently remove the dumping of municipal waste from the site licence. This will ensure that the area cannot be used as a dump for domestic waste without going through planning again.

Crompton’s are keen to work with the village to protect the wildlife and expect to reinstate liaison meetings with residents soon.

December 2020

The Laneside Landfill site [accessed via the Grange Moor Road] has recently been purchased by Thomas Crompton’s – a Bradford based, family run business specialising in demolition and clearing old industrial sites. They are wanting to use the site for recycling building rubble and have been working with Kirklees Council planners to start work as soon as possible- probably in January or maybe before. Rubble will be brought onto the site and graded.  We believe that the intention is for some waste eg soils etc to be dumped on site and the rest will be recycled to form materials to be used for road /building etc off site. A crusher/grader will be installed on site. Workers are already on site reconnecting the wheelie wash
Crompton’s are keen to work with the village to protect the wildlife and are happy to resume liaison meetings with residents. The first of these will probably be held early in 2021 and will be widely publicised so everyone interested can attend.

October 2020

The site has been sold by Casey’s  to Thomas Crompton Ltd based in Bradford who specialise in demolition and reclamation.
It was owned and run by Casey Enviro Ltd of Rochdale  as a landfill site with a permit to deposit waste material including domestic refuse but has been ‘mothballed’ for a few years.
When tipping is completed any owner is obliged to restore the landscape to a plan agreed with Kirklees Council.

October 2018

There has been very little activity on the site for the past year and seemingly this is likely to be the case for sometime. Due to increased recycling of domestic waste, less is going into landfill sites. Consequently Caseys have said that they will continue to ‘mothball’ the site until ‘a viable opportunity arises.’
In the meantime the site and the newt colonies will continue to be monitored and maintained.
Also The Landfill Liaison Group is due to be reconstituted in the near future.

 

Updates following  previous  Laneside Liaison group meetings :
March 11th 2015.

  • Domestic waste tipping expected to commence in spring 2016 after monitoring completed
  • Casey’s to seek extension of planning permission from Kirklees MC in the near future [expires August 2015]
  • Diversion of PROW [public right of way] which cuts right across the site expected to be carried out this summer. From the Mountain Way end the diverted footpath will skirt around the head of the valley before returning to the point where the original PROW crossed the service road through two gates.
  • Possible change of type waste to be dumped. Ash from Kirklees incinerator[permitted under the agreed permit schedule] is being considered in additional to other domestic waste.

Residents reminded that if they see any wagons breaching the traffic regulations by coming through the village they can contact the site 01924 497926 to report. If a registration number hasn’t been obtained – then date, time and any distinguishing features on the lorry would be helpful in identifying the culprits

 November 14th included

  • Approximately 500 mixed hedge plants have been planted on the western boundary (nearest Mountain Way)
  • 1200 trees and shrubs of woodland edge mixture have been planted on the recently grassed slopes above the compound
  • The newt population continues to be monitored
  • 3 or 4 additional newt ponds are to be established on the western boundary in the near future
  • Domestic landfill is not expected to commence until spring 2016.

 Any complaints or comments regarding the everyday running of the site should be addressed in the first instance to P,Casey Site Office on 01924 497926

Residents are welcome to attend the Laneside landfill group where representatives from Casey’s, Kirklees Council and the Environment Agency are happy to discuss any concerns.

September 2014

Over the last few months walkers will have noticed changes on the Laneside landfill site. At Kirklees request Casey’s are in the process of restoring the present footpath over ‘the Mountain’ to its original line. Over a number of years walkers have chosen to walk at the edge of the field when walking up the hill whereas the PROW (public right of way) actually was nearer the quarry edge among ferns and hawthorn scrub. When completed the PROW will be clearly signed and will follow the correct line.
Work has also started on constructing the route for the diverted stream (at present running through the small valley ) On completion the stream with its reconstructed slab bridge will move nearer the quarry boundary and the diverted PROW will follow it.

Plans are in place to start domestic waste tipping sometime in 2015.

April 2014
The following point were covered at the meeting:

  1. The project is well behind schedule although probably less than 10 years. It is the intention of Casey to have a conversation with Kirklees and agree an extension to the completion date of the project.
  2. The existing licence requires monitoring of the newt ponds during 2014. Casey have agreed with their consultants Erap to start their survey of the newts as soon as the weather improves and the newts begin to leave the existing ponds. Permission was given for a member of the group to attend the survey with Erap.
  3. There will be no changes to the approved footpaths unless the topography of the land reinstatement does not allow the proposed footpath levels to be accommodated. Casey will liaise with Kirklees and if necessary make further proposals.
  4. Drawing G110-202 was handed over (titled Laneside Quarry Restoration , Revision 2 October 2008). This drawing provides all the current woodland tree planting and hedge details. Restoration work around the periphery of the site will continue in the Autumn of 2014 wherever possible . Removal of existing woodlands will take place during the next 4-5 years as the project goes forward. Planning Permission for woodland removal has been given by Kirklees.
  5. A cut-off ditch around the western and northern boundary of the site will be put in place during 2014. There will be some borehole drilling to establish what further works are needed to make the infill area of the site stable. Some excavation and refilling of inert material is anticipated where old coal workings are found. The resulting flow of water in Copley Beck will be monitored before a decision is made on the need to divert the beck via the cut-off ditch. This work will be done before infilling with household waste.
  6. The permit to treat and drain Leachate into the sewage system has been obtained. The amount of  the ground water which is not taken away by the surface water drainage and which enters into the landfill site will be assessed later in the project. The size of the Leachate treatment system anticipated is small and within the scope of equipment which Casey operate on other sites. The permanent connection to the sewage system is small. A copy of the permit will be handed over.
  7. Casey will own the land in perpetuity. They will operate a management system for a considerable period on completion. However public access to the land within the site would not be permitted other than on the footpaths and the bridle path which form part of the project. Casey are not insured for public access which a nature reserve would imply.
  8. With respect to the permissive footpath around the site it falls outside the site boundary. The land to the east side of the site is owned by Elliott’s  and the footpath runs over this land.
    The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 25th June at 6:30pm at the parish Centre.

November Update after the meeting on 7th November 2012

Present at the meeting were:
Tony Barry – spokesperson for the operator Caseys
Max Folkett – Environment Agency
Paul Wood – Kirklees MC
Richard Steel – Chair + 3 residents

During the period March to October 2012 4620 great crested newts were relocated within the Laneside landfill site according to Tony Barry, spokesperson for the operators, Caseys. Tony was reporting back to the Laneside Liaison Group which met on Wednesday 7th November in the Parish Centre.
His operator’s report also included

  • at present only inert materials are being deposited
  • 13 of the proposed 20 newt holding ponds are now in situ
  • additional areas within the site have now been cleared of newts and can now be worked on
  • newt relocation has ceased for this year but it is expected that it will recommence & be completed in 2013
  • domestic waste landfill will not start until at least Autumn 2013 or even possibly Spring 2014 dependent on newt mitigation
  • no direct complaints about the site have been received by Caseys since the last meeting
  • the 100’s of new ash saplings are to be monitored by DEFRA for signs of diseas

There is to be some evaluation of the site to satisfy permit conditions imposed by the Environment Agency. This includes the placement of gas boreholes to monitor present levels of gas on site and the possibility of mitigating existing mine workings by either excavation and removal or by pumping cement into the adits [passages]
A resident asked if the issue of noise from track laying vehicles working on site could be addressed as it was a problem in the summer months. Tony replied that next summer a much larger, but quieter machine would be working on site and that the track laying vehicles would be employed down on the quarry floor which would help mitigate the problem.

In reply to another question Tony said that it was envisaged that once domestic landfill started being taken in, the site would have a life of between 5 to 8 years.

The next meeting of the liaison group will be on Wednesday May 22nd at 6:30pm in the Parish Centre – all residents welcome

July 2012 Update

There was a meeting on Wednesday 4 July with Caseys to discuss progress on the landfilling of the Laneside site. Present were representatives from the Environmental Agency and Kirklees MC as well as some  local residents.
Tony Barry [Operations Director for Caseys] report included :

  • newt mitigation is still continuing – the latest pond off Mountain Way is naturalising well
  • there has been some vandalism on site including the use of an air rifle
  • a 4 wheeled vehicle has entered the site from Long Tongue Scrog – residents are asked to report any unauthorised activity on the site
  • route through Lower Hopton is being monitored for unauthorised use by contractors to the site
  • contractors also being warned about possible damage to the parapets of bridges at Colne Bridge
  • no planning application has been submitted since the last meeting
  • the sweepers are clearing bothsides of Grange Moor Road as requested by residents
  • drilling contactors are on site to bore holes for the monitoring of gases and ground water in  compliance with the order made by The Environment Agency

Residents thanked Caseys for the recently erected  footpath signs.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday 7 th November 6:30 at the Parish Church

March 2012 Update

There was a meeting on Wednesday 7th March at the Parish Centre to discuss issues regarding the landfill site. Present were Tony Barry [representing Casey’s] Richard Steel [Chair], 2 representatives from Kirklees MC, Alison Munro [Parish Cllr] and 7 residents. Max Folkett [Environmental Agency] gave his apologies.
Tony Barry reported that:
• Inert materials were still the only materials being brought in
• The main pond had been cleared of newts and was now drained
• Activities on the western boundary include clearing vegetation in preparation for a new bridleway and footpath and a large permanent pond for the newts
• The conditions for the permit were in the process of being fulfilled
• It is anticipated that no general waste will be dumped until Spring/Summer 2013- this being dependent on the ecologist’s report

Comments from residents included:
• Concern re HGVs not adhering to the weight restrictions in the area. TB agreed to monitor traffic to the site and carry out spot checks
• Build up of mud on the Grange Moor Road around the entrance to the site- TB agreed to more cleaning of the area
• Failure to put up footpath signs on site as promised- TB will rectify this

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 4th July at 6:30pm in the Parish Centre [Change of date]

November 2011 Update

Report of the Laneside Landfill Liaison Group meeting held on Wed 2nd November 2011
Present: Richard Steel [Chair] Tony Barry [Casey’s] a representative of the Environment Agency[EA], Glenn Wakefield [KMC Planning] Alison Quarmby [KPC] + 11 local residents

Tony Barry presented Casey’s operator’s report.
Points included:

  • This year’s newts preservation project is near completion – over 6000 newts [both great crested & smooth] have been relocated to various holding areas within the site.It is expected that newt relocation will end next year
  • At the request of Kirklees MC an area next to the footpath from Mountain Way has been cleared of illegally tipped garden waste and a no tipping sign erected

 The report was followed by a question and answer session.
Tony Barry explained that the recently granted permit allowed the company to tip waste on half the existing site. He anticipated that tipping would not commence until late 2012/13 as they had to implement many preconditions imposed by the EA as part of the permit.

Although the EA has refused the diversion of Cockley Beck in this present permit he felt that this could be rescinded in the future if and when further investigations have taken place.
He anticipated that once tipping started in the permitted area it would last for approx 5 years.
In answer to a comment from a resident re the mud & dust on the pavement on Bellstrings Lane – he agreed to get the road cleaner to clean these areas as well.
He also agreed to put up further signage around the site to clearly identify rights of way.
The meeting ended at 8pm

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday March 7th 2012 at 6:30 at the Parish Centre. All residents welcome

 Laneside Landfill Site

This occupies the land previously quarried by Elliotts Bricks Ltd and known as Kirkheaton Brickworks. It is owned and run by Casey Enviro Ltd of Rochdale [www.casey.co.uk] who are currently importing inert waste (rubble etc]. into the site to construct the walls for the future landfill site and to create new habitats for the displaced newt colony there.
Caseys have recently applied to the Environmental Agency for a permit to deposit waste material including household refuse. The planning permission granted in 2000 allows 105 wagon journeys to and from the site between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm.

When tipping is completed the company is obliged to restore the landscape to a plan agreed with Kirklees Council. This restoration will be carried out progressively as the former quarry is filled from west to east.
Any complaints or comments regarding the everyday running of the site should be addressed in the first instance to Andrew Shaw, the site manager on 01924 497926 or alternatively to the Council’s Mineral Planning Unit, 01484 416814

 Landfill Permit update October 28th 2011

 On October 28th Casey’s permit application was granted. They will now be able to start bringing in domestic waste once they have complied with the preconditions.

 Laneside Quarry Permit

 On Wednesday 17th August at Kirkheaton Parish Centre there was a chance for residents to meet to discuss Casey’s permit application for landfill with officers from the Environment Agency.

Three members of the Environment Agency [EA] were present along with appprox 20 residents. Tony Barry, from Casey’s, was unable to be there but was happy for any questions to be forwarded to him for answering at the next meeting.
Max Folkett [a technical officer at the EA who will be one of the people monitoring the site] gave a brief explaination on how a landfill site is constructed. Permitting Officer Mike Keast then guided us through the Permit. He explained that the proposed permit imposed many preconditions on Casey’s before landfill could commence. Due to the past history of the site [ coal mining, clay extraction and landfill in the 70’s] there were issues that needed to be addressed. These included identification and monitoring present gas seepage and identification of sources of present groundwater. Casey’s have only applied to landfill the area of the site on the west side of Cockley Hill Beck. The east side, which had been previously used as a landfill site in the 1970’s , was excluded. The permit boundary has been changed to reflect this. Casey’s had also wanted to divert the stream that runs through the site [Cockley Hill Beck] but the EA felt that this could be an important route for ground water and therefore until it was proved otherwise had to retain its present course. The EA was also concerned about the size of the exposed area for landfill at any one time and has insisted on temporary horizontal gas wells being constructed through the tipping site to ensure odour is kept to a minimum. The top of the tipping site will be covered daily to minimise dust, litter drift, smells and vermin. However, the EA explained that some of these problems may occur on occasion, as they are often an inevitable consequence of landfilling. The permit requires that Casey’s take all reasonable steps to minimise these problems and they will need to submit detailed management plans to explain how they will do this. There will also be a noise management plan.
A resident expressed his concern about the quality of landscaping work being undertaken on the site at the present time. His particular concern was about the construction of a holding pond and retaining banking alongside the public footpath.The EA pointed out that at the moment they had no jurisdiction about the present operations but once the permit was granted they would be regularly onsite and would monitor this. They would also have the powers for remediation for any work they were unhappy with. Work on the landfill liner will be supervised at all times by independent engineers.
It was decided at the end of the meeting that the group should meet more frequently now that ‘things seem to be moving forward’ . Richard Steel suggested that all residents who are in the agreed areas close to the site should be contacted again to invite them to future meetings.
The EA was thanked for coming to talk to the group and it was acknowledged that their involvement reassured residents re the management of the site.

  http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/library/consultations/80798.aspx

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