Toxic waste appeal rejected

Bishop's Cleeve, the beautiful urbanised village in Gloucestershire, is famed for its beautiful walks and quaint countryside.

This is part of the reason that campaigners in the area have been so adamant to persuade Gloucestershire County Council to reverse the decision to keep Grundon Waste Management open.

The site deals with many waste materials, one of which being toxic waste.

Despite the attempts of the campaigners, the waste site has been granted permission by the council to stay open for at least another 15 years. The case may be reopened in 2029.

The campaigning groups have already faced some rejection, as their attempts last year were also turned down by the Department for Communities and Local Government who said that issues on this scale should only be dealt with by local councils.

Bishop's Cleeve residents clubbed together to make their own residents group called Safety in Waste and Rubbish Disposal (Sward).

The group has 280 paying households which cover the areas of Bishop’s Cleeve, Woodmancote, Stoke Orchard, Uckington, Elmstone Hardwicke, Brockhampton, Gotherington and Cheltenham.

Aims of SWARD are laid out on the website, as well as the origins of the group.

"SWARD was formed in 2001 when a local resident discovered that the landfill site adjacent to her home was being filled with hazardous waste," it says.

"She discovered that this waste was not only highly caustic but also contained traces of heavy metals such as antimony, arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury not to mention the dioxins and furans."

This discovery was back in 2001, and the group has been campaigning ever since.

Aims of the group are also laid out on the website, as well as ways in which they expect the council to follow through with them.

"SWARD’s aim is to safeguard the health of residents and the environment by ensuring Safety in Waste And Rubbish collection, treatment and Disposal in Gloucestershire," it says.

Despite the group's efforts and a £2,500 donation from the parish council, the toxic waste site will remain open.