Illegal Waste in Kent Woodland May Persist Until 2026

The BBC has learned that efforts to remove an estimated 35,000 tonnes of unlawfully deposited waste from a woodland area in Kent are not scheduled to commence until the coming year. Earlier this month, activists expressed approval upon learning that the Environment Agency (EA) had at last designated a contractor to undertake the removal of refuse from Hoads Wood, situated close to Ashford. On Thursday, the EA clarified that initial surveying and sampling activities at the location were already underway. However, information received by the BBC indicates that the actual waste removal operations will not commence before 2025 and are projected to require approximately one year for completion. The unlawful disposal of waste on a commercial magnitude at Hoads Wood reached its highest point last summer, when 20 to 30 lorries were depositing waste at the location daily. Although the woodland’s entrance was closed in January, residents in the vicinity voiced criticism of the EA, citing a “lack of action.” Matt Higginson, representing the EA, informed BBC South East: “We’ve already started some works on site [and] we’ve got more surveying works that are happening in the next couple of weeks.” “We’ve got some sampling works where people will start to see more work happening from there.” “It’s a really complex project that we’ve got to do. We’ve got to manage the health and safety, and the ecological impact with the site to make sure that we don’t cause any more damage.” The EA is scheduled to attend a public gathering at Bethersden Village Hall on Friday to provide a comprehensive update regarding the schedule of the operations.