The Crooked House and links to Oxfordshire (Debate)

Sat 19 Aug 2023, 13:39

Christine's link illustrates - yet again - the failure of regulatory regimes in this country.  With the wind in the wrong direction, there was a strong smell from the landfill in the village when I visited and it seems only to have got worse since despite interventions by the EA and planning authority (yes, Oxfordshire), just as the villagers feared (no criticism, a cast who could have come from Dibley!).  Not as devastating perhaps but it sits alongside things like building regulation (eg Grenfell), agricultural and sewage pollution of our seas and rivers and food ingredients / additives....  So do you 'work with the industry' or regulate and monitor properly to achieve results?

Will be interesting to follow The Crooked House saga - even has a 'handsome couple' for the tabloids to villianise!

Fri 18 Aug 2023, 19:20

The Guardian commented last week on the fire at the Finmere site owned by the Taylors. Although recorded in Philip's BBC article as being in Bucks, it's just on the Oxfordshire side of the County Boundary and the Guardian got this right. 

OCC is the planning authority and are dealing with current complaints about odours, as is Victoria Prentis, the current MP for Banbury. See https://www.victoriaprentis.com/campaigns/finmere-landfill-facility

And, yes, it's recorded as being adjacent to the proposed HS2 line, and one of the "hazards" listed as affecting works along the route.

Fri 18 Aug 2023, 14:57 (last edited on Fri 18 Aug 2023, 14:59)

Well here's a thing - and a somewhat tenuous 'local' link Philip may not have expected...

There was a planning inquiry at Finmere maybe 15 years ago - memories fade - where the planning authority had served an enforcement notice because the landfill levels exceeded those laid down in their planning permission (a different animal to the site licence).  The Inspector upheld the notice so they were supposed to take the top off and re-cover.  But as a local resident feared, that was neither the first nor the last inquiry into operations at the site.  I didn't know about the fire in 2018 but comes as no surprise...

One other titbit, while walking along a disused railway line close by, I couldn't help noticing how wide it was. The Great Central Railway, closed in the '60s.   HS2 anyone??

Thu 17 Aug 2023, 13:17 (last edited on Thu 17 Aug 2023, 13:22)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-66514759

ATE’s Finmere Landfill site was filled above the height permitted by its site licence. Is it merely an unfortunate coincidence that it caught fire?

A quick search of https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company reveals that Alkerton 2022 Ltd is registered at the same address as ATE Farms Ltd, AT Contracting & Plant Ltd and other companies controlled by Adam and Carly Taylor.

Alkerton 2022 Ltd made OCC application no. MW.0124/21 and Cherwell DC 21/03562/CM which involves infilling at Alkerton Quarry and the construction of holiday lodges by that company. Permission was granted. I trust that the relevant authorities are now on a heightened state of vigilance?

Apologies, this has no direct Charlbury content so may be more suited to the Debate page.