Petition launched to close landfill site blamed for vile stink in Fleetwood and surrounding areas

The smell has variously been described as being like rotten eggs or rotten onions, and the situation is now so serious the Environment Agency is actively investigating and monitoring the Jameson Road site.

The landfill site, which has only recently been reopened, is run by a private compny called Transwaste Ltd.

Residents are so fed up with the situation they have set up a Facebok protest group, Action against Jameson Road Landfill Site gas smell.

The group currently has more than 1,200 members.

Sign up for our free newsletters now Fleetwood Town Council also discussed the issue at its latest meeting on Tuesday (May 26) and residents from Thornton, Clevelys and Over Wyre have also complained about the smell.

"People have a right to clean air"

Now Coun Lorraine Beavers, a Lancashire County and Wyre Borough councillor for Fleetwood, has set up a petition to get the landfill site closed down.

Labour member Coun Beavers, also a prospective parliamentary candidate for the new seat of Blackpool North and Fleetwood, said: "The landfill site should never have been reopened in the first place.

"They've unsettled something in the ground and whatever it is, it is causing a big issue.

"Imagine how that site is going to smell over the summer. It is already getting worse - that smell is so powerful you can practically taste it.

"This is going to have a detrimental effect on local businesses, including the two holiday parks Broadwater and Cala Gran.

"And what is behind the smell, we don't know the effects this could have on people's health, especially those with conditions like asthma and COPD.

"No one should have to put up with that, people have a right to clean air and we are demanding our right to clean air."

Coun Beavers has written to the chief executive of Lancashire County Council, whose development control committee makes decisions on licensing the landfill sites.

The petition calls on those organisations with the power to close the site, including the Environment Agency, to do so.

A link to the petition can be found here

An Environment Agency spokesperson said:   “We would like to thank members of the community who have reported odour issues to us at a landfill site in the Fleetwood area.

"We use reports to assess information that informs our regulation and response.   

“We have increased our compliance visits to the site to make sure the operator is reducing the risk of emissions and odour. We also have officers in the community to investigate odour levels around the landfill site. 

"We are keeping multi agency partners informed and will look to work together to resolve this issue to prevent further impact on the community.” 

Transwate Ltd has been approached for a comment but has so far not released a statement.

If anyone wishes to report an odour issue, they can do so on the EA hotline 0800 807060.