Huge offensive against fly-tipping launched after deadly asbestos dumped near Market Harborough

The dynamic investigation to nail the gang behind the criminal environmental blitz is being stepped up after an outraged eco-campaigner tipped off the Harborough Mail.

Deadly asbestos is being dumped near the new £5.2 million Airfield Business Park to the north of Market Harborough as well as piles of building and domestic rubbish, the Mail can reveal.

The high-octane “offensive” to clean up the toxic mountain of waste and prosecute the offenders is being spearheaded by Leicestershire County Council and Environment Agency officers.

They are working alongside the appalled landowner, a housebuilders’ consortium, while Harborough District Council is also supporting the intense effort.

Furious Harborough MP Neil O’Brien told the Mail that hardcore fly-tippers should be “walloped by the law and locked up” as he blasted the scandal.

An angry spokesman for the housebuilders’ consortium which owns the land repeatedly targeted told the Mail: “This is totally unacceptable – and we won’t stand for it.

“We are doing all we can to stop this fly-tipping and bring the culprits to justice.

“We are carrying out a multi-agency operation, working with the Environment Agency and Harborough District Council as well as the police.”

He said they are now “building up a solid case” against the fly-tippers as they battle to bring them to book.

“We are collecting evidence all the time – and all our relevant CCTV footage has been handed over to the police.

“We have put up surveillance cameras.

“But they cannot cover the whole site all the time,” said the spokesman, who’s close to the security crackdown himself.

“We have got to bring in specialist waste disposal teams because asbestos has been dumped there and that’s obviously very dangerous.

“Wooden pallets, timber, soil, plastics, rubble, household waste and concrete are also being tipped.

“This is a specific problem for all of us and we are doing all we can to combat it.”

A spokeswoman for the builders’ group said CCTV cameras have swept the blackspot since January in an attempt to deter the fly-tippers – or catch them red-handed.

“We are doing all we can around the clock to stop this happening and we have gone to the police and local councils.

“It has cost us about £60,000 already to remove materials dumped on this site time and again so it is a very big issue,” she said.

“It’s very frustrating and annoying.

“We will now get rid of this latest load of waste tipped there as soon as we can.”

Security staff have also installed gates in a bid to seal the site off – but intruders have smashed the padlocks to force their way in.

The Mail has been given the name of a local paving and landscaping firm said to be responsible for much of the tipping.

We have spoken to the owner who admitted knowing the spot but denied outright that he was to blame.

Fuming Harborough MP Neil O’Brien said: “I would love to see people get properly walloped by the law for this.

“I’d like to see them locked up for this sort of hardcore fly-tipping – and they should get a decent sentence.”

The Conservative MP insisted: “Fly-tipping is an incredibly obnoxious, selfish and exploitative business.

“I hate seeing it with a passion as I drive across Harborough.

“Punishments have got to be made much tougher to deter people from doing it.”

The Mail was initially alerted by Peter Pollak, 75, and his wife Fran, 70.

The couple, both keen walkers, were stunned to encounter the sprawling mound of rubbish as they were out hiking.

“I am relieved and delighted that urgent action is to be taken – it’s high time that it was.

“This devastating onslaught on our beautiful fields and meadows has got to be stopped now – it can’t be allowed to go on.

“We could not believe what we were seeing.

“This is the worst, most flagrant case of fly-tipping we have ever stumbled across.

“We have walked thousands of miles all over the UK and abroad over the years and never seen anything as bad as this,” said Peter, of Farndon Fields, Market Harborough.

“I am so pleased that the Harborough Mail has raised this monstrous blot on the landscape with the highest authorities.

“This is a blatant criminal offence.

“The despicable, ruthless people behind this tipping are not above the law.

“They have to be caught and sent to prison.

“A clear warning should be sent out to anyone thinking they can get away with this sort of outrage.

“Several lorryloads of disgusting rubbish have been piled up within just 30 yards of a popular, much-used right of way.

“I’m just glad that the appropriate authorities are finally beginning to act,” stressed the retired insurance surveyor.

Cllr Phil King, who leads Harborough District Council, said: “I condemn all fly-tipping – it’s an environmental crime.

“We have a proud record of tackling fly-tippers in Harborough – they won’t be tolerated.

“We are determined to clamp down on this sort of pernicious activity destroying our glorious countryside.

“It could cost the people behind this incident thousands of pounds if they are taken to court and found guilty.”

Calling for extra powers, he added: “The trouble is that it’s all a bit unclear as to who should take action in this kind of case.

“Our remit covers public land only.

“We need to clarify who exactly is responsible for fly-tipping on private land such as here.

“Statutory powers need to be looked at to make tackling incidents like this simpler and faster.

“Offenders can and do exploit the system.”

Cllr Blake Pain, Leicestershire County Council’s cabinet member for minerals and waste planning, said: “We are supporting the Environment Agency and partners with an investigation into fly-tipping on private land in Harborough.

“Fly-tipping is a selfish and irresponsible crime that leads to an unnecessary cost to the taxpayer - and can cause environmental damage.”

He added: “While fly-tipping is the district council’s responsibility, we work closely with them to tackle this issue.

“And we would encourage people to report fly-tipping and any suspicious activity to their local district council.”

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said: “We are investigating reports of waste deposited near Market Harborough and are working in partnership with Leicestershire County Council to agree what action will be taken.

“We ask members of the public to report waste crime and environmental pollution incidents to us using our 24hr free phone number, 0800 807060.

“Or you can report information on environmental crime anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or use the online form at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information-online/”

A Leicestershire Police spokesman said: “Fly-tipping/littering are civil issues and are therefore offences that are enforced and prosecuted by the local authority – not the police/CPS (Crown Prosecution Service).”