Landfill Hallsford Bridge
Residents of Stondon Massey will recall the elation that greeted the end of dumping at the landfill site at Hallsford Bridge and the subsequent topping off with top soil. The site has now settled but this has been uneven and caused many areas to dip excessively.
Members of Stondon Massey Parish Council along with representatives from both Ongar and High Ongar made a visit to the site recently and were shown areas where excess settlement had now necessitated the import of additional clay and top soil to fill up all the holes that have developed (some as large as a double garage).
It was also evident that the clay seal which is put on top of the waste to stop leakage was not adequately installed and has resulted in leachate being evident at the bottom of some of the larger holes.
The above facts are not in dispute and something has to be done to protect the environment from any leakages of either leachate or the resultant gas.
To this end WRG, who run the site and are responsible for keeping it safe, have proposed to Essex County Council to bring in up to 75 lorry loads daily (initially clay and thereafter top soil) for up to 4 months to fill in all settlement areas and further level off the western side of the site (facing the industrial estate).
The quantity of the lorry movements was questioned by the Parish Council during our meeting but it was confirmed that this number will be required to fully rectify the site and make it dependable for several years. The current proposal will be considered by Essex County Council who in turn will make a proposal to all three parishes shortly.
WRG stated that they would prefer a maximum of 75 lorry loads a day for 4 months with the other possibility to be considered by ECC being approx 20 loads per day for a year. A spell of short sharp activity which should be completed before winter sets in is currently considered by WRG and ECC to be the preferred option.
A proposal by the parishes at the meeting to do the minimum to make the site safe and then make a further inspection and survey in 2 years was agreed by all to have less impact on the local community but would represent a never ending scenario of surveys and approval of additional top soil movements to be approved by ECC.
It was confirmed that all lorries will approach and leave the site by going up to Marden Ash and on to the A128. None will come through Stondon Massey. Working will be Monday to Friday 07:00 to 16:00hrs with the possibility of an occasional Saturday morning through to 13:00hrs. A wheel wash will be installed to limit the mud being deposited onto the roads locally.
We are now waiting to hear from ECC as to the preferred option and we will endeavour to keep you all informed and act in your best interests to limit the impact to traffic in the Hallsford Bridge area.