A proposed landfill site in Devon is being called an “environmental disaster” by a local councillor.
The criticism follows an application by developer BT Jenkins to convert land at Lower Brenton Farm, near Kennford, into a landfill for inert building waste.
Councillor Claire Dummett of Teignbridge District Council expressed concerns, stating that “the same problems, the same issues” remain in the latest application, echoing those raised when the project was first proposed in 2021.
A spokesperson for the developer defended the plans as “responsible and sustainable,” arguing that it would eliminate the need to transport soil across the region.
Proposed Landfill SiteMs. Dummett told: “The sound, the noise, the dust, the pollution—it’s an environmental disaster, which it always has been.”
Local resident Janet Lillie also voiced her concerns: “The footpaths are technically going to be kept open. But do you want to walk next to a mound of dirt 2.5m [8ft] high that’s got an industrial site at the other end?”
BT Jenkins stated that alternative sites had been considered but were deemed “unsuitable.”
In detailing its plans for the site, a spokesperson said: “A small crusher, which sounds similar to a tractor, will be used to break down materials for recycling. This is not expected to operate every day.”
A public consultation on the proposal is open until the end of August.