Story & photo: Lisa Swift
Residents are again complaining about smells coming from Parkwood landfill site, and now one resident is calling for an ASBO on Viridor.
Local resident Keith Donston explained that the problem has got worse in the last month:
“I’ve lived on Shirecliffe for 30 years. This tip has been a real problem in the past, and the smell has returned in the last few weeks. I’m told they are opening a new cell.”
Keith, who works for Shirecliffe Forum, has started a petition and is hoping action can be taken against Viridor’s for their Anti Social Behaviour.
He’s certainly not he only one bothered by the smell. Residents nearby are regularly complaining to the Environment agency, and residents as far as Firshill can smell the tip. A resident of Standish Gardens told the Messenger:
“I bought this house new and the developer told us the landfill would be a golf course. I’ve been complaining about the smell for nine years. One of my children has had pneumonia four times.”
The resident explained how she fills a carrier bag every day with litter that has blown off the site and in the last week witnessed a whirlwind on the site that carried bin bags and litter high into the air and off across the city.
In preparation for the new cell on site, Viridor have piled up soil near to the housing on the Standish estate. The resident told us:
“It’s only supposed to be window sill height but its huge and we can’t see anything out of the window now except the landfill.”
To find out more about Keith’s campaign contact him on 232 6201 on Monday or Tuesday at Shirecliffe Forum, or 244 6651