Council orders clear up of Longport waste site

The council has served an Enforcement Notice requiring all waste operations on the site to cease.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has ordered the clearance of the former Staffordshire Waste Recycling site in Longport - taking formal enforcement action to stop unauthorised waste activity.

The council has served an Enforcement Notice requiring all waste operations on the site to cease.

The notice means the site owners must remove all waste materials, along with associated buildings, equipment and structures and restore the land to its previous condition.

Once the notice takes effect, the owners will have six months to remove the waste from the site.

The council will continue to monitor the site closely and will take further action if the requirements of the notice are not met.

Councillor Chris Robinson, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said:

“We know this site has been a concern for local residents and we have been working hard to address the situation.

“This enforcement action makes it clear that the unauthorised waste activity must stop and the site must be cleared.

“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will not hesitate to take further action if those responsible fail to comply with the notice.”

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: ‘‘We welcome this enforcement action from Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

“The Environment Agency previously issued enforcement notices to the site occupier and landowner, which they failed to comply with.

“We will continue to consider further enforcement actions and to work with partner agencies.

“We hope this action by the council delivers the desired outcome for the benefit of the environment and the people of Stoke-on-Trent.’’