Walleys Quarry closure notice welcomed by city council

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has welcomed The Environment Agency’s decision to serve a closure notice on the operators of Walleys Quarry.

Walleys Quarry is a landfill site in Silverdale, Newcastle-under-Lyme, that has been at the centre of a long legal row over emissions, odours and the impact on local residents.

The Environment Agency which has carried out more than 180 inspections at the site since 2021, said the closure notice had been issued “after exhausting other enforcement actions”.

Councillor Jane Ashworth, Leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “We welcome The Environment Agency’s decision to serve a closure notice on Walleys Quarry, which means it cannot accept new waste deliveries from today (Friday).

“We remain committed to supporting the local community and hope this action is the first step towards a permanent solution for residents who have been affected by this over many years.

“We are aware that complaints about foul gas odours have continued to increase over the course of the year and we join Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council in encouraging residents to carry on reporting the foul smells to them every time they happen.”