Story & photo: Neill Schofield
The Friends of Parkwood Springs are pressing Viridor, the owners of the Parkwood Springs landfill, to open up the site much sooner than they have suggested.
The Parkwood Springs landfill is due to close in 2018 and be restored in 2020. Viridor have confirmed that they are sticking to this plan, despite the fact that increased recycling and incineration means the volume of tipped rubbish has decreased. Viridor have to apply to the City Council for planning permission for their new plans. They have been consulting with local residents, prior to putting in the planning application. This will probably happen in May.
The plans include letting the public onto a small section of the site and some improvements to footpaths within the first five years after the site is closed. But, according to the consultation document, Viridor want to keep most of the area closed for many years.
Viridor want to keep people off the restored site because of the network of pipes and infrastructure to collect methane gas, which is used to generate electricity which Viridor then sell to the National Grid. The document doesn't set a time limit but previously the company has spoken of up to 40 years.
The Friends Group recently visited the closed Beighton tip, now called Lindley Bank Meadows (see picture), to see how the restoration has been managed there.
Capping of that site only finished in 2008 but already the public have access despite methane gas being collected and used for electricity generation in the same way as is proposed at Parkwood Springs.
Excellent paths criss-cross the site, including a section of the Trans-Pennine Trail.
The Friends Group does not want the public to go onto the site until it is safe but we think Viridor should learn more from the experience of places like Beighton. We should not have to wait 30 or 40 years for access to this area, which links the northern and southern parts of Parkwood Springs. In particular, we will campaign strongly against any provision in the planning permission that restricts access until the gas pipes have been finally removed.