Complaints about the stink from Walleys Quarry hit a two-year high last month – prompting renewed calls for the site to be shut down.

Newcastle Borough Council received 668 odour complaints from residents relating to the Silverdale landfill, the highest monthly total since March 2022.

There were also 1,980 complaints lodged with the Environment Agency.

Members of the borough council's cabinet described the latest complaint data as 'disconcerting' and 'depressing', following a decline last year.

In January the borough council recorded 'local odour events' – where 10 or more complaints are received – on 22 days of the month.

And chief executive Martin Hamilton told the cabinet that the complaints data correlated with levels of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) gas measured by the EA's monitoring stations.

Between January 22 and 28, the monitoring facility at Silverdale Cemetery measured H2S levels breaching the 'annoyance' threshold 37.8 per cent of the time.

There have now been renewed calls for the site to be shut down (Google).

Mr Hamilton said: "Sadly, the figures for November, December and January show a significant downturn in the local conditions with regard to the odours from the Walleys Quarry site. There remains a good correlation between complaint data from the public, and the hydrogen sulphide data that comes from the mobile monitoring facilities, and also what our own officers observe.

"January saw 668 complaints, which was the highest we've seen for many, many months."

Walleys Quarry has said that it is carrying out work relating to temporary capping and gas management in a bid to tackle the odour issues.

But cabinet members believe that more needs to be done – including the issuing of a closure notice.

Council leader Simon Tagg: "It's really disappointing that complaints are up. The monitoring equipment is showing those higher levels, especially at the cemetery site – it's shocking the percentage of the time where the odours are causing discomfort for people."

Councillor Andrew Fear said: "This report makes for depressing reading. We all hoped we were drifting in the right direction but it seems we've had really quite a sharp reversal.

"What we need to do now is see, from the Environment Agency, some action underneath the initial bluster. Let's now see the colour of your money.

"I think what we need to ask the EA is whether they can give us a reason why you're not going to pursue a closure notice."

Deputy council leader Stephen Sweeney said: "We all felt a year ago that we were getting towards the winning line, but we're not. It's very disconcerting. It's not just a blip now. Are we going to be left with this for forever and a day? I just think it's deplorable, that people have to live with this smell of rotten eggs."

Next Wednesday, a special meeting of the full council will see councillors debate a Labour motion calling on the EA to suspend Walleys Quarry licence 'until such time that this council is assured of ongoing compliance with permit conditions by the operator'.

But Mr Tagg said his Conservative group would be seeking to amend the motion with a call on EA to issue a closure notice on the site.

Walleys Quarry has been approached for a comment.

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