Case of environmental permit breaches at landfill sites near Wigan put off until later in the year

Maybrook Developments (Appley Bridge) Ltd, which is registered in Worcestershire, has been before Wigan and Leigh magistrates in a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency.

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

Guilty pleas were entered on a previous occasion 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 has now entered not guilty pleas.

Following a brief hearing held at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court, a date of Friday September 22 was set for the start of two-day trial before Tameside justices.

Maybrook also owns East Quarry in Appley Bridge where 16-year-old Jamie Lewin died on July 9 last year, 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.

But there has also been public opposition to the idea over the use of waste to fill in the huge hole over several years.

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