High Moor dump: enough’s enough

A campaigning MP has entered the fray over plans to consider extending the boundary of a controversial tip.

Phil Woolas, MP for Saddleworth and Oldham East, has written a strongly-worded protest to the Greater Manchester Geological Unit asking that it delete any considerations about further development High Moor, Scouthead.

His appeal comes hours before a public meeting tomorrow night when residents will air concerns on the proposal to representatives from Oldham Council, the Environment Agency and the current tip operators.

A consultation document prepared by the Greater Manchester Waste Authority identifies land adjoining the boundary of High Moor tip as a potential site for tipping 1.8 million tons of residual waste.

In his letter, Mr Woolas, who has been campaigning for 10 years to get the existing High Moor landfill site closed, says residents cannot contemplate tipping at the site which is more than 1,000 feet above sea level.

He says: “The stench and odours which continue to emanate from this site are quite frankly unbearable and make people physically sick.

“Residents living in Saddleworth villages find the stench unbearable at times and are confined to their homes with doors and windows firmly closed.”

Veolia Environmental Services, the current tip operators, under instruction from the EA, has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on gas monitoring equipment, water sprays, new methods of working to eliminate dust and wind-blown debris across the moorland and other measures.

“Despite all this expense, the problems of nauseous stench continue,” Mr Woolas declared.

“Veolia has announced very recently that it wishes to close the site in the near future and has no intention of seeking an extension to its operations.”

Mr Woolas goes on: “I fully expect that this site will be closed, or very close to closure, by the time the final decisions are taken on future residual waste landfill sites.”

The public meeting, chaired by councillor Alan Roughley, takes place at 7.30pm tomorrow at Delph Methodist Church hall, Gartside Street.

Copies of Mr Woolas’s letter will be distributed at the meeting which the MP cannot attend because of previous parliamentary engagements.

Councillor Roughley, said: “‘This meeting is timed so people can, having heard the proposals, respond directly to GMWA before the public consultation period ends.”