Contractors Appointed for Hoads Wood Waste Clearance

The appointment of contractors tasked with removing 35,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste from Hoads Wood, a woodland area in Kent near Ashford, has been confirmed. This fly-tipped material occupies a 100x60m space and reaches depths of 4m in certain locations. In August, campaigners had issued a threat of legal action against the Environment Agency, demanding urgent clearance of the site, a demand that followed a ministerial directive issued in May. The Kent Wildlife Trust expressed approval of the Environment Agency’s decision to appoint contractors, although the organization characterized the waste dumping as an “environmental catastrophe.” Ian Rickards, representing the charity, stated: “Whilst we are pleased that there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel, Hoads Wood has been buried underneath tonnes of waste for a year now.” According to the campaign group Rescue Hoads Wood, the issue started intensifying in 2020, with the peak occurring in July of the previous year when 20 to 30 trucks of waste were reportedly dumped daily. The Environment Agency secured the entrance to the dumping site in January; however, campaigners, citing frustration over the “apparent lack of action,” raised funds through crowdfunding to engage solicitors. An Environment Agency spokesperson commented: “We are currently arranging to clear the waste from Hoads Wood. “A contractor has recently been appointed and we are working with them to enable essential preparatory work before clearance can commence. We are keeping the local community informed.” The agency is scheduled to present additional plans and timelines at a Bethersden Parish Council meeting on 22 November. The estimated cost for clearing the waste stands at £15m, with campaigners expressing apprehension that this figure might rise due to recent wet weather conditions. The Environment Agency plans to recover these expenses from those responsible for the fly-tipping. A criminal investigation aimed at identifying the individuals who dumped the waste is currently in progress.