Contractors have finally been appointed to remove over 35,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste at Hoad’s Wood, Ashford.

It has been six months since the Environment Agency (EA) was ordered to clear the site of Special Scientific Interest by the then Secretary of State, Steve Barclay with campaigners threatening legal action against the government department in a bid to speed up slipping timelines.

Lorries began illegally tipping truckloads of waste in July 2023 and despite repeated reports by locals, it was not until January 2024 that the Environment Agency placed a closure order on the site preventing more waste from being dumped. Since then, the “Rescue Hoad’s Wood” Campaign supported by environmental charities such as Kent Wildlife Trust, has been calling for a clean-up of the site.

Drone footage shows the extent of the devastation to the woodland, and the damage has been described as an “environmental catastrophe” by campaigners. Locals have reported an “eye-watering” stench coming from the site which can be detected at times indoors, even with window closed.

The Rescue Hoad's Wood campaign has been supported by Kent Wildlife Trust, RSPB, South East Rivers Trust, Woodland Trust, CPRE Kent and the CLA who jointly wrote to Steve Barclay, highlighting the plight of the woodland and asking for the waste to be removed. They received a reply on 23^rd May, just days before the General Election was announced and Mr Blarclay confirmed a ministerial direction had been made to clear the site.

Campaigners became concerned over the apparent lack of action by the Environment Agency to appoint contractors and successfully crowd funded enough money to appoint solicitors Leigh Day to write to the government department threatening legal action if the clean up did not begin by 28 October 2024. They also met with the MP for the Weald, Katie Lam who expressed support for the campaign as did the environmental campaigner and TV Presenter Chris Packham.

On Thursday, 7^th November, the Environment Agency wrote to the campaign groups to confirm a contractor has been appointed to clear the site but failed to give a timeline of action stating that “work will need to be carefully planned as there are several matters to take into account before physical clearance can commence”. The letter went on to say further updates will be given at a Parish Council meeting at Bethersden Village Hall on 22^nd November.

It was previously estimated that the cost to clear the tonnes of waste could be between £10 to £15 million with the recent spell of wet weather adding to the weight and cost of the clean-up operation.

A spokesperson for the Rescue Hoad’s Wood Campaign says:

“It is encouraging there appears to have been some movement, but the time that this has taken is unacceptable, it should never have got to a stage where we had to crowd-fund to threaten legal action.

“The wildlife in the area has been decimated, water courses polluted with toxic leachate and the “rotten egg” stench of hydrogen sulphide has been detectable, at times, even with windows shut. The EA’s delays in acting on the ministerial directive to clear the woods are indicative of the inaction on their part to prevent this disaster in the first place. We are living in hope that this may finally be an end to the misery, to the flora and fauna of Hoad’s Wood and the local community caused by this unchecked, organised criminality.”

Ian Rickards of Kent Wildlife Trust says:

“Whilst we are pleased that there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel, Hoad’s Wood has been buried underneath tonnes of waste for a year now. The trees around the site are dying and what has happened here is nothing short of an environmental catastrophe. We’d urge the Environment Agency not to waste another second and begin this much-needed clean-up immediately.”

Katie Lam MP for Weald says:

“I’m delighted contractors have been appointed to start clearing up the terrible mess from this appalling crime, and they must start work straightaway. It’s important to understand that this is not everyday household rubbish – empty bottles, say, or large pieces of plastic packaging. It’s not even classic fly-tipping, like mattresses or appliances (although there is also some of that). This is treated waste, all cut up into small pieces; every day of delay sees more of it washed and blown around the woodland, leeching into our soil and causing even more damage. We can’t afford to wait any longer."

Save our Woodlands

Kent Wildlife Trust has launched an appeal to help them campaign and save more woodlands in Kent. You can learn more about the appeal, which has raised over £40,000, here.