The company operating the controversial landfill site Walleys Quarry in Newcastle-under-Lyme has entered liquidation, The Environment Agency (EA) has confirmed.

The landfill site in Silverdale has been closed to new waste since November and residents in the area have been fighting a years-long campaign to have the site shut due to foul smells. 

The site has attracted hundreds of thousands of complaints due to the smell and Walleys Quarry Ltd has been subject to an EA closure notice which began on 29 November. 

The company had submitted an appeal against the notice, but earlier this month its request to accept waste again on an interim basis until the appeal hearing was rejected at the Royal Courts of Justice.

EA officials say that Walleys Quarry Ltd going into liquidation will have no effect on the landfill site's environmental permit or the closure notice, both of which will still have to be complied with.

A statement from the EA said: "The EA has been informed that Walleys Quarry Ltd, has entered Liquidation.

"This event has no effect on the existence of Walleys Quarry Ltd or the Environmental Permit. 

"The Liquidators remain bound by the conditions of the permit and any statutory notices in relation to it that may have been issued.

"We will engage with the Liquidators about their intentions for the site and plans to comply with the Environmental Permit and the Closure Notice. 

"We will continue to work with partner organisations and carry out air quality monitoring using our Mobile Monitoring Facilities (MMFs)." 

Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, said: "I am hugely disappointed but not at all surprised that Walleys Quarry Ltd, a company making what I understand was a substantial income, has not remained to honour its obligations to fully cap off and restore the landfill.

"We understand residents will be concerned by this news and while the Environment Agency remains the lead regulator of this site, and will now need to take control, we will offer both the EA and liquidator any support we can within our powers to keep this landfill under control."

The leader of Newcastle borough council said residents should continue to report foul odours. (NUL)

He added: "Elected members of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council have unanimously endorsed that the landfill site should be closed, capped and restored and that remains our goal.

"I understand that work on capping and gas capture infrastructure required by the Environment Agency has largely been carried out before this news emerged.

"Although the situation appears to have improved in recent weeks, it's vital that we keep raising this issue and if residents are affected by emissions they should continue to report them."

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