Waste site clearance underway after court action
Clearance is underway on a West Yorkshire illegal waste site following court action by the Environment Agency.
Image shows the waste on site
Andrew Leadbeater, 57, was ordered to clear the site at Wyke Lane, Wyke, in Bradford by 17 June after pleading guilty to waste offences on Friday 17 April at West Yorkshire Magistrates’ Court.
Work had already started on the clearance ahead of the hearing.
The court heard he was charged with operating a waste site without an environmental permit and failing to comply with a notice from the Environment Agency to clear the waste.
As well as being given two months to clear the waste, he was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £6,067.50 in costs and a victim surcharge of £26.
Image shows the waste on site
Cracking down on waste crime
Ben Hocking, Area Environment Manager for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire, said:
This illegal waste operation had impacted local residents for some time and I’m pleased it’s now being cleared.
We’re cracking down on waste crime across the sector and we will take action against those who breach the law.
It’s important anyone who has information about illegal waste activity reports it to us as soon as possible so we can investigate.
Complaints about fly tipping and burning at the site were first made to the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council in 2023. During a visit by the council in June 2023, Leadbeater said some of the waste had been fly-tipped on his land, and admitted the burning. He said he would stop burning, and arrange for the site to be cleared.
In June the following year, Leadbeater contacted the council to complain that fly-tipping had taken place on his land. The council visited and saw a significant amount of waste and referred it to the Environment Agency.
Environment Agency officers first visited the site in September 2024, where they saw fire-damaged trailers together with a large amount of mixed waste including household waste, paints, engine oils, tyres and construction waste.
Officers later spoke with Leadbeater, who said he was aware of the waste, but didn’t know who had deposited it. He said he’d tried to secure the site and agreed to remove the waste as a matter of urgency.
Follow up visits in November 2024 and March 2025 revealed no waste had been removed.
The Environment Agency issued a notice requiring Leadbeater to clear all waste from the land by 22 September, 2005. This was not complied with.
Leadbeater was asked to attend an interview with the Environment Agency in October 2025 but he failed to attend.
Background
Full charges:
1
Between 6th June 2023 and 1st October 2025 at 533 Wyke Lane, Wyke, Bradford, Andrew Leadbeater did operate a regulated facility, namely a waste operation, except under and to the extent authorised by an environmental permit.
Contrary to regulation 12(1) and regulation 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
2
Andrew Leadbeater did fail, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a requirement imposed upon them by a notice served in accordance with section 59ZB(2) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which required the removal of waste from land at 533 Wyke Lane, Wyke, Bradford by 22nd September 2025.
Contrary to section 59ZB(6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.