‘Potential environmental disaster’ could be cleared
Villagers have long called for lagoon solution
A lagoon in Plaistow which has been dubbed ‘a potential environmental disaster waiting to happen’ could finally be cleared.
William Luttman-Johnson, the owner of lagoon 3, which sits on land that was previously part of Crouchland Farm, said he had wantedtosellittoaneighbouring farmer for around a year.
But a legal charge placed on the lagoon by West Sussex Agri Limited (WSA) had prevented it from being sold. The lagoon contains 53,000 cubic metres of digestate – a liquid and solid by-product of an anaerobic biodigester plant.
Duetoconcernsraisedbythe Environment Agency about the ‘structuralintegrity’ofthelagoon andariskthatcontainmentcould fail, the council served a notice ordering the owner to remove the waste by May – or else face prosecution.
Mr Luttman-Johnson said the potential buyer would be able to empty the lagoon and return the land to its original state. He said he had been trying to get the legal charge removed for months. His wife Lucilla described the situation as ‘more than frustrating’. “It could’ve been done a year ago,” she said.
ButWestSussexAgriLimited releasedastatementconfirming that it would release the legal charge if the lagoon was sold. A spokesman said: “West Sussex Agri Limited (WSA) has agreed to release its legal charge over the area known as Lagoon 3 in the event of a sale to a third party purchaser. WSA welcomes this development. WSA remains hopeful that the authorities will seek assurances from any new owner that they will clean up the lagoon in line with the existing planning enforcement notice.”
MrLuttman-Johnsonsaidhe was ‘delighted’ by the news.
Residentshavelongcalledfor thelagoontobedealtwith,fearing therecouldbean‘environmental disaster’ if it collapsed and its contentsspilledoutontotheland.
However Mrs LuttmanJohnson said the contents of the lagoon were ‘not dangerous’. “It’s a fertiliser,” she said, adding that thelagoonwas‘notgoingtoburst its banks’.
Councillor Gareth Evans welcomed the latest development. “This paves the wayforthelagoontobeclearedup andthepotentialenvironmental disasteravoided,”hesaid.“Thisis goodnewsforthecommunityand good news for the environment.”
Chichester District Council stressed the lagoon needed to be cleared by the May deadline. A spokesman said: “We are in frequentcontactwiththeexisting owner about these matters and we have clearly explained to them that the period to comply with the enforcement notice is diminishing. If these works have nottakenplaceorareincomplete, then at the end of this period those in control of the site will be considered responsible for the offenceoffailingtoadheretothe requirementsoftheenforcement notice. Once the compliance date passes, we will visit the site to assess the situation and our enforcementofficerswillengage with the owner.”
Dame Patricia Routledge has urged residents to ‘get their jab and stay safe’ after being vaccinated at Tangmere Village Hall.
The actress’s message came as the NHS confirmed that all of Chichester’s most vulnerable residents have now been offered the vaccine - meeting the national target.
And 92 per cent of these residents – people over 70, care homes residents and those deemed clinically extremely vulnerable –have received their first jab. Dame Patricia, 92, is best known for playing Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances.