Firm in court for breaching environmental permit for two Wigan sites

Maybrook Developments (Appley Bridge) Ltd, which is registered in Worcestershire, went before Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court in a prosecution by the Environment Agency.

The offences relate to West Quarry, in Appley Bridge, and landfill on Parbold Hill.

Solicitor Craig Burman, acting on behalf of Maybrook, entered guilty pleas to four offences of failing to comply with the conditions of an environmental permit.

These related to waste other than that listed in the permit being stored on land between February 19, 2020 and June 29, 2021, and not conducting and submitting landfill gas, ground water and surface water monitoring between March 31, 2021 and November 2, 2021.

Guilty pleas were also entered for two charges of failing to comply with an enforcement notice relating to flood risk activity on November 1, 2020 and November 15, 2020. The notices had required Maybrook to remove waste, as well as to conduct landfill gas, surface water, ground water and leachate monitoring and submit the results to the Environment Agency.

Maybrook’s owner Peter O’Dowd, of Mere Road, Newton-le-Willows, has been charged with the same offences and did not indicate how he intended to plead when he appeared in court.

He is now expected to stand trial in the magistrates’ court, on a date yet to be set.

Both cases were adjourned until September 28, when a case management hearing will take place in the same court.

The firm will be sentenced once O’Dowd’s case has concluded.

Land and property company Maybrook was established by O’Dowd in 2012 and owns sites including Parbold Hill, East Quarry and West Quarry in Appley Bridge.

It was at East Quarry where 16-year-old Jamie Lewin died on July 9, after entering the water and getting into difficulty.

He was the third youngster to lose their life there, following the tragic deaths of 17-year-old Craig Croston in 1999 and Miracle Godson, 13, in 2015.

There have been repeated calls for the quarry to be filled, with Maybrook having plans which it hopes will make the area safer.