Police put up fence to enforce scrapyard closure
POLICE have erected fencing to enforce a closure order at the TH Smith site.
Officers from Lancashire Constabulary attended the Meadow Street site in Great Harwood as part of a multi-agency operation to secure the site and erect fencing, in line with the three-month order granted at court earlier this month.
The site has been subject to numerous complaints from members of the public resulting in hundreds of calls to the police and other agencies.
It was subject to a hearing at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court on Friday, September 15, following a temporary closure notice being served on the site.
This came about as a result of a joint operation at the site between Lancashire Police, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, the Environment Agency and Hyndburn council.
In a statement, Lancashire Police said: “The ruling means the commercial side of the site generating smoke must cease all operations for the next three months. In addition any persons who enter that part of the site will be subject to arrest. This plan supports other partnership activity such the removal of the air burner that was largely responsible for burning and Community Protection Notice prohibiting ‘the lighting and burning of waste producing smoke’.”
Officers said they hoped their action to reinforce the court order would reassure the local community that they are continuing to take action in line with the direction of the court.