Charity gets £168,000 from Lincolnshire environmental offenders
Environment Agency investigations into waste and water offences across Lincolnshire have secured £168,000 for a Lincolnshire charity.
The money will be used by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust to support nature recovery and deliver environmental benefits across Lincolnshire. It follows Enforcement Undertakings accepted by the Environment Agency.
An Enforcement Undertaking is available to the Environment Agency as a sanction for dealing with some environmental offences.
Incidents and payments
£60,000 came from Bowring Transport Limited of Forest Road, Warsop, Nottinghamshire who deposited construction and demolition waste without authorisation at Hook Cliff Farm, Gonerby Moor, Grantham between 9 June 2020 and 14 April 2022.
£40,000 was paid by Fox (Owmby) Limited of Caenby Corner, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire who deposited mixed waste without authorisation at Willow Holt Caravan and Camping Park, Tattershall, Lincolnshire between 8 December 2020 and 28 January 2021.
£30,000 was handed over by Crockway Farms Limited, Long Ash Lane, Dorchester, Dorset, following a slurry discharge from a pig unit in Market Rasen on 7 April 2023, which spread to nearby land and into a drainage ditch.
£26,000 was paid by Construction & Environmental Services Limited of East Street, St Ives, Cambridgeshire who deposited construction and demolition waste without authorisation at Hook Cliff Farm, Gonerby Moor, Grantham between 9 June 2020 and 14 April 2022.
The remaining £12,000 came from Earthborn Transport Limited of Rectory Road, West Bridgford who deposited construction and demolition waste without authorisation at Hook Cliff Farm, Gonerby Moor, Grantham between 9 June 2020 and 14 April 2022.
All offenders made contributions to the Environment Agency’s costs and have carried out actions to stop offending, prevent a recurrence or restore any harm.
Previous enforcement undertaking money has gone on important reed management work. Picture credit: Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust
Laura Richardson, Environment Manager for the Environment Agency in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire Area, said:
While we continue to prosecute and sanction the most serious offences, Enforcement Undertakings allow companies to put right what went wrong and channel money directly into the environment.
This figure of £168,000 will be invested back into the local area to enhance the environment, delivering real benefits for people and wildlife.
Paul Learoyd, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust:
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is clear that environmental breaches should never happen in the first place. The best outcome for wildlife, people and our environment is always prevention, supported by strong regulation and responsible environmental management.
Where enforcement action does secure investment, it is important that those funds are invested directly into nature recovery across Lincolnshire. This contribution will help us deliver practical conservation work that benefits wildlife and local communities, supporting the recovery and resilience of habitats across our rivers, coasts and countryside.
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has used previous enforcement undertaking funding to support conservation projects across Lincolnshire, delivering direct benefits for wildlife and habitats.
Previous enforcement undertaking money has supported the management of extensive reedbed habitats through the use of specialist low-impact machinery. Picture credit: Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust
For example at Deeping Lakes Nature Reserve, funding enabled specialist environmental DNA surveys to improve understanding of species present and inform habitat management following a fish mortality event caused by low oxygen levels during the 2022 heatwave. And in the north of the county, funding has supported the management of extensive reedbed habitats through the use of specialist low-impact machinery. This work helps maintain and restore important wetland habitats while minimising damage to sensitive ground conditions, benefiting a range of species including the increasingly successful bittern.
What is an Enforcement Undertaking?
An Enforcement Undertaking is available to the Environment Agency as an alternative sanction to prosecution or monetary penalty for dealing with certain environmental offences.
It is a legally binding voluntary agreement proposed by a business (or an individual) when the Environment Agency has reasonable grounds to suspect that an environmental offence has occurred.
Enforcement Undertakings for environmental offences were introduced under the Environmental Civil Sanctions (England) Order 2010 and the Environmental Civil Sanctions (Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2010. They were then made available for other offences, including some under the Environmental Permitting Regulations in 2015
Accepting an Enforcement Undertaking is always at the discretion of the Environment Agency. But if accepted enables businesses and individuals who have damaged the environment or operated outside of legislative requirements to offer to complete actions which will address the cause and effect of their offending, including making a payment to an appropriate environmental project or improvements.
The Environment Agency enforcement and sanctions policy is on our website Environment Agency enforcement and sanctions policy - GOV.UK
Our external guidance which gives more details about civil sanction and accepting enforcement undertakings can be found on our website Annex 1: RES Act – the Environment Agency’s approach to applying civil sanctions and accepting enforcement undertakings - GOV.UK
Offences
Bowring Transport Limited (reference EU1141)
The offence was operating without or other than in accordance with an environmental permit (waste operation) – Regulation 38(1). It relates to the unauthorised deposit of construction and demolition waste at Hook Cliff Farm, Gonerby Moor, Grantham, Lincolnshire between 9 June 2020 and 14 April 2022.
This was a reactive offer. The enforcement undertaking was accepted on 7 November 2025.
Fox (Owmby) Limited (reference EU1145)
The offence was operating without or other than in accordance with an environmental permit (waste operation) – Regulation 38(1). It relates to the unauthorised deposit of mixed waste at Willow Holt Caravan and Camping Park, Tattershall, Lincolnshire between 8 December 2020 and 28 January 2021.
This was a reactive offer. The enforcement undertaking was accepted on 5 November 2025.
Crockway Farms Limited (reference EU1017)
The offence was operating without or other than in accordance with an environmental permit (water discharge activity) – Regulation 38(1). It relates to a slurry discharge from Danby Pig Unit, Caenby Cliff, Market Rasen on to nearby land and into a drainage ditch on 7 April 2023.
This was a reactive offer. The enforcement undertaking was accepted on 23 January 2025.
Construction & Environmental Services Limited (reference EU1142)
The offence was operating without or other than in accordance with an environmental permit (waste operation) – Regulation 38(1). It relates to the unauthorised deposit of construction and demolition waste at Hook Cliff Farm, Gonerby Moor, Grantham, Lincolnshire between 9 June 2020 and 14 April 2022.
This was a reactive offer. The enforcement undertaking was accepted on 7 November 2025.
Earthborn Transport Limited (reference EU1139)
The offence was operating without or other than in accordance with an environmental permit (waste operation) – Regulation 38(1). It relates to the unauthorised deposit of construction and demolition waste at Hook Cliff Farm, Gonerby Moor, Grantham, Lincolnshire between 9 June 2020 and 14 April 2022.This was a reactive offer. The enforcement undertaking was accepted on 7 November 2025.