'Rotten eggs' stench from Chorley landfill site to be kept at bay after time extension granted

Clayton Hall landfill, on Dawson Lane in Whittle-le-Woods, has previously found itself at the centre of complaints from those living in its vicinity about the sickening smells that have sometimes emanated from the operation.

At the peak of the problem in late 2017 and early 2018, people took to the streets in protest at the pungent stench that they were having to put up with, which was likened by some locals to a mixture of rotten eggs and gas.

At its worst, the stench wafted across Whittle-le-Woods, Clayton-le-Woods and Leyland – even invading homes where the windows were firmly shut at the time, one resident told the Lancashire Post: “It literally makes me want to gag.”

Now, Quercia – the company that operates the greenbelt site – has been granted permission to retain the infrastructure needed for what is described as “landfill gas and leachate management” until 2035, seven years after it was due to expire.

Lancashire County Council’s development control committee gave the go-ahead to the extension after hearing that a time limit for on-site leachate tanks and gas engines had previously been set at 2028 – the point at which landfill activity at the former sand quarry must cease.

However, the applicant said in documnets submitted to County Hall that removal of the supporting infrastructure by that date would “prevent continuing control and treatment of landfill gas and leachate” – and mean that they could not comply with the requirements of their environmental permit.

Once waste disposal stops, the active area of the landfill site will be capped and the plot restored within 12 months – but gas and leachate generation is expected to continue for several more years, demanding continued management, county councillors were told. Recovered landfill gas is also used to generate energy through the specialist engines.

The proposed time extension attracted four objections, amongst which were claims that residents had been “plagued by flies, smells and dust that must be hazardous to health”. The site was also hit by blazes in 2021 and 2022.

However, a report to the committee by County Hall planning officers stated that because there would be no extension to the landfill operation beyond its already-approved cut off of 2028, the concerns raised by locals were “not relevant”. It added that the proposal to retain the associated infrastructure would actually reduce the likelihood of the problems that they highlighted.

Committee member Steve Holgate said that the plan would, if anything, be “positive”.

“It will help manage what has been an unacceptable situation in the past, perhaps better than they’ve [previously] been able to,” he added.

As part of the permission, a waste transfer station situated on the site – which is used to extract recyclable material to prevent it ending up in the Clayton Hall or other landfills – can also now be retained until 2035 in order to provide sufficient time to relocate that aspect of the business.

The committee heard that the operation met the test for the “very special circumstances” that needed to be demonstrated in order to justify development in the greenbelt.

Any need for a further time extension of the gas and leachate control infrastructure beyond 2035 could be applied for nearer the time if it proves necessary.

Quercia, which did address the committee meeting, says on its website that “aftercare” of the landfill – which dates back to the 1960s – will continue until 2088.

Members were also told that they should assume that the regimes to regulate the site – including via a permit issued by the Environment Agency – “will operate effectively”.

The immediate odour problem that affected residents in 2017/18 was reduced by capping the problem area of the landfill.