Appspond Lane waste site, Potters Crouch, Hertfordshire
Updated 4 April 2014
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Appspond Lane sits between the M1 and A414 in Potters Crouch, St Albans. The land is typically used for waste operations. It has been of high public interest following a wood waste fire on the site in November 2012.
Wood Recycling Services Limited (WRSL) previously held 2 environmental permits at Appspond Lane, which authorised them to compost waste and to chip waste wood.
The Environment Agency had been concerned about the excessive volumes of waste on site since winter 2011. Since early 2012 they worked closely with Hertfordshire County Council, St Albans District Council, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and National Grid.
In May and July 2012, the Environment Agency issued enforcement notices that required WRSL to reduce the amount of wood waste on site to less than 10,000 tonnes and to ensure the waste was being stored correctly.
In September 2012, they issued suspension notices for both of WRSL’s environmental permits, in order to manage the risk of heat, fire and serious pollution. The suspension notices stopped WRSL from accepting any further compost or wood waste onto the site.
In November 2012 the Environment Agency were notified of a serious fire at Appspond Lane (Incident ref. 1055087). Environment Officers spent 2 weeks on site working with Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) and National Grid.
HFRS advised WRSL on how to extinguish the fire, which was followed. The fire was declared out on 8 February 2013. The Environment Agency served a further enforcement notice on WRSL to remove the contaminated fire water from their site. HFRS led the operation during the fire and investigated the cause.
On 22 March 2013, the Environment Agency revoked both of WRSL’s environmental permits for non-compliance.
On 28 March 2013, WRSL entered into liquidation and they vacated the site in early July 2013.
Latest update: April 2014
A new company, Navitas Environmental Limited (NEL), has submitted an application to the Environment Agency for an environmental permit. NEL want to build and operate a biomass boiler on the site at Appspond Lane.
Between 26 November 2013 and 10 January 2014, the Environment Agency ran a public consultation. They asked other organisations and the general public for their comments on NEL’s draft permit and the decision document.
The Environment Agency received 5 responses to their consultation. They have been reviewing these since 10 January 2014 to ensure all the information they have is accurate and that nothing is missing from the draft permit. They also checked whether any further information had become available since they received the application. Their responses to comments they received are in the decision document, which they wrote at the same time as the permit.
The Environment Agency has carefully considered NEL’s application and after a thorough assessment, they are satisfied that the facility will meet the high standards defined under the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2010.
The Environment Agency has now issued the environmental permit to Navitas Environmental Limited.
They are aware the local community near to the site may be concerned about the prospect of another waste facility involving wood operating on Appspond Lane. The Environment Agency is taking every precaution to ensure the site is run properly and safely. They only issue a permit if they are satisfied that sufficient control measures are in place to protect the local community and surrounding environment.
The permit granted to NEL includes strict limits on the amounts of wood that can be stored and processed on site. The permit also contains firm conditions that NEL must meet before the plant can start operating.
Community engagement
To avoid compromising or prejudicing any potential future legal proceedings, the Environment Agency is unable to provide information on current investigations involving the site at Appspond Lane. Please be assured that resolving these issues remains a priority for them.
It remains the Environment Agency’s priority to communicate effectively with local residents. This web page is updated regularly.
Contact
To report a pollution incident from Appspond Lane please call the Environment Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.
If you would like to see a copy of NEL’s environmental permit and details of how the Environment Agency reached their decision, please email: NETEnquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk.