‘I’VE DECIDED ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’
Family set to move away from quarry despite court win
DISTRAUGHT mum Rebecca Currie has decided to move from her home near a controversial landfill – two months after winning a court battle over its regulation.
In September, the High Court ruled that the Environment Agency had to do more to reduce hydrogen sulphide emissions from the landfill, following legal action taken on behalf of Rebecca’s fiveyear-old son Mathew Richards.
Rebecca believes her son’s lung condition has been made worse by long-term exposure to excessive levels of H2S at their Silverdale home.
But despite the High Court ruling – which is being appealed by the EA – Rebecca says she has had enough of living near Walleys Quarry and has decided to move.
She says there has not been any real improvement in the air quality since the ruling – despite the EA’S claims to the contrary.
The Aspire Housing tenant is now looking at alternative accommodation elsewhere in the Newcastle area.
Rebecca said: “When we won the court case, I thought things would get better, but nothing has changed.
“I’ve seen people who live outside the area say they’ve got better, but they haven’t really. The smell has changed – we still have the rotten egg smell, but there’s also this smell that’s like when you light a match. I’ve just decided enough is enough.
“Mathew’s health has to be my priority. We know that he has five years until the damage to his lungs becomes permanent, so I just need to take him somewhere where he can breathe clean air.
“There’s just no justice – Red Industries and the EA have won.
“We took on this case on behalf of the community here, but now we’re having to leave the community. I didn’t want to have to do this because I have a great support bubble here.
“I want to move as soon as possible, as soon as I can find somewhere. If I can’t find anywhere with Aspire, I’ll just have to rent privately, even though that will cost a bit more.”
In the High Court case, Mr Justice Fordham ruled that the EA had a ‘positive operational duty’ to protect Mathew’s Article 2 right to life and his Article 8 right to respect for private and family life, under the Human Rights Act.
The EA was told it had to implement measures to reduce the daily concentrations of H2S in the local area to one part per billion from January 2022, in line with advice from Public Health England.
While the agency has insisted it was always working towards this target, it is appealing against some aspects of the judgement relating to the court’s role in regulatory matters.
Nigel Bowen, chief executive of Walleys Quary Ltd, which runs the landfill, said: “We continue to work closely with the Environment Agency and instigate our programme of works, with our focus remaining on updating the community on the measures we are taking.”