The Environment Agency (EA) has today announced that plans are in motion to clear the Waste 4 Fuel site on Cornwall Drive in Orpington. A strategy has been agreed by the EA and Bromley Council, and work will begin as soon as the EA has resolved a number of outstanding legal issues with the landowner.
Local Conservative MPs Bob Neill, James Brokenshire (Old Bexley & Sidcup) and Jo Johnson (Orpington) have warmly welcomed the news that the site will be cleared. The three MPs have maintained pressure to see that the situation was resolved, holding regular meetings with the Environment Agency and Ministers at the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.
In a joint statement they said:
"Today's announcement will finally bring relief to local people who have had to put up with the consequences of this waste mountain. The fires at the site have caused significant disruption and the rubbish pile is an absolute eyesore.”
"The agreement now made between the EA and the London Borough of Bromley is something which we have all worked hard to broker, making sure that local residents and resident associations have been directly involved in the process."
"We are pleased that hard campaigning has resulted in a solution to clear the site. Those responsible for causing this unacceptable situation need to be brought to account and lessons need to be learnt as to how this regulated waste site could have got so out of control."