The decision followed a legal challenge brought by local campaigners Clean The Air in Havering, who argued that the site met the legal criteria for contamination due to persistent fires and hazardous substances present on the former illegal landfill site.
Under the ruling, both Havering Council and the Environment Agency (EA) are required to take specific action to ensure the site is cleaned up, either by the landowner DMC (Essex) or by the council itself, with reimbursement.
In a statement on Facebook, Clean The Air in Havering described the outcome as ‘the breakthrough we’ve fought for’.
The group added: “After years of smoke, frustration and tireless campaigning, Havering Council has finally declared the Launders Lane site contaminated.
“This is recognition of what Rainham residents have known all along – the toxic fires that have plagued Rainham are not just a nuisance, they are a public health and environmental disgrace.
“This declaration opens the door to real remediation and, at long last, justice for the people of Rainham.”
Decision ‘marks a turning point’
Following the determination, Havering Council must now consult with the landowner on proposals to remediate the site and may, if necessary, issue a remediation notice compelling action to clean up the land.
Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council, said the decision “marks a turning point for the community living near Launders Lane and across Rainham”.
He continued: “This determination will provide us with more power to be able to take real action to hold the landowner to account and to push forward with remediation of the land, and ultimately put a stop to the fires once and for all.
“Despite the repeated claims from one of the landowners that they’re trying to ‘improve the site for the local community’, the fact remains that they have not yet submitted a formal planning application, and sadly we have seen no evidence to suggest they are serious in finding a solution.”
Legal challenge from Clean The Air in Havering
The legal challenge was launched in September 2024, after Havering Council initially concluded that the site did not meet the statutory definition of contaminated land under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Residents, represented by law firm Mishcon de Reya, argued that the site demonstrably caused significant harm to human health and the environment, citing over 100 fires in the past five years and evidence of hazardous contamination.
On 17 June 2025, the High Court quashed the council’s earlier determination, ordering the authority to reconsider the matter. The ruling found that the council had not adequately assessed the risks posed by the contamination and recurring fires.
Arnolds Field contamination
Originally a gravel pit, Arnold’s Field has long been associated with illegal dumping, with estimates suggesting that between 30,000 and 40,000 cubic metres of unregulated waste were deposited there over a decade ago.
The site has since become notorious for frequent and often severe fires, which have occurred with increasing regularity since 2013.
The London Fire Brigade has attended the location more than 224 times since 2010, responding to recurring underground and surface fires.
Tests conducted in December 2023 revealed lead concentrations of up to 4,400 mg/kg in the northern part of the site – levels far exceeding accepted public open space criteria.
Asbestos-containing materials have also been found both on the surface and in shallow soils, while water and leachate samples have shown elevated levels of arsenic, mercury, boron, chloride and various organic compounds.
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