The waste management company says the presence of waste had been a “blight” to nearby tenants and businesses for several years, after the site’s previous operator, skip hire firm Hancocks Contractors Ltd, went into administration in 2016.
The site previously accepted a range of industrial and commercial waste but was subjected to enforcement proceedings by the Environment Agency due to its failure to comply with permit conditions.
Chris Farmer, W2R’s director, said: “We have been working closely with the landowners since 2016 and during this time have cleared the site in stages as funding has been provided.
“Like so many of these sites around the country, the innocent landowner is often left with the financial burden of clearing waste, with costs that run into the millions.”
Mr Farmer said that in June 2021 the Heysham Business Park was sold to the estates division of fuel company Crown Oil, who “demonstrated a clear commitment” to removing the remaining waste “as quickly as possible”.
W2R partnered with Barrow-based Wicks Waste Management to deliver the final phase of the clearance, moving some 12,500 tonnes of waste over 16 weeks between September 2021 and January 2022.
Advice and guidance
W2R completed clearance of the site with the assistance of the Environment Agency.
Thomas Charlton, environment management team leader at the environmental regulator, said: “The Environment Agency have been providing advice and guidance to the landowners of the abandoned waste site in Heysham.
“We are glad to see this site is now cleared, bringing about a great outcome for the local community and putting an end to the abandoned waste’s blight on the environment.”
The Agency advised land and property owners to “protect” themselves by checking empty land and property regularly to make sure it was secure, carrying out rigorous checks on prospective and new tenants, and ensuring appropriate permits and authorisations are in place at sites proposing to accept waste.
Redevelopment
Crown Oil said the redevelopment of the Heysham Business Park would now include upgrading buildings, implementing new security measures, and creating secure yards and storage areas, as well as providing an additional location to house its expanding sustainable fuels operation.
Mr Farmer said: “We are really pleased with the outcome, both for the environment and for the new owners of the site as waste removal will facilitate demolition of buildings no longer fit for purpose and re-development of the wider Business Park.”
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