1km from landfill

[Hairydogmummy]

Would you buy a house 1km from a landfill site? It's closing in 12 months time after having already had an extension and being in use for 24 yrs. Its otherwise lovely. Newly converted barn, rural setting surrounded by open fields while still being with a few miles of transport and loads of amenities, close to family and friends, work etc. We've really struggled to find something other than a new build or a house with issues like rights of way, flying freehold, falling to bits so I don't know if I'm being objective. It's a good price but that'll be cos of the landfill.

Oh gosh @CatherinedeBourgh that does sound bad to be fair. I've no idea if this is well run or not and will definitely have an enviro survey done. It tends to be the people in the villages on the other side of it who complain that it smells or that stuff has blown out of the boundary but if the lining or whatever leaks then chemicals could obviously enter the water course as your surveyor said. This house has a brook running alongside too.

Another thing to think about is whether you'd ever want to extend. The architect I had round recently to discuss an extension was telling anecdotes about the deepest foundations he'd known of and he mentioned the difficulties of building near landfill specifically.

How big is the landfill site? 1km is a really long way - that would have ruled out 95% of the houses in the town I grew up in!

The landfill near us (5km away) wasn’t a problem when we first moved here 15 years ago. It stinks now. If the wind is in the wrong direction you can smell it, and driving past it is gag inducing. It’s constantly reported to the environment agency and they have been fined numerous times but no improvement. The capping of it is about 3 years overdue and Covid has just delayed it further. I would avoid buying a house anywhere nearer than 5km to a landfill site having experienced this one. Poor people who live closer than us!

No chance. I work about 4 miles from one that doesn't get used any more and depending on the wind direction we can small it at times - it's now covered in grass but the chimneys poking out release a constant stream of disgustingness that you can always smell

It's not an open rubbish dump is it....they are dreadful in summer if wind blows ....new build houses near me...nobody can open windows in summer as stink is awful....i would ask questions about landfill items seeping into soil...??...I dont really know what goes into landfill these days...i suspect toxic chemicals stopped being dumped in them years ago...??

Oh god @BigGlasses I hope it's not same one.

www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/fife/1249276/lower-melville-wood-rubbish-dump-pong-capping-works-complete/

Apparently it’s been capped now, but I can still smell it when driving past. It honestly wasn’t a problem years ago and I’m sure lots of other sites are fine. But this one is putrid

It sounds like your site is better. If the holiday cottage reviews don’t mention it it must be okay. Good luck whatever you decide

I would worry more about the rats and the seagulls. Personally I wouldn’t but you’ve been there. (A km is REALLY close)

I think there will always be an element of smell issues at certain points. The landfill near us was capped in the summer and it was awful while it was being done, it is ok ish now.

Your best bet is to phone the environment agency on 0800 807060 and ask for a copy of the complaints that relate to the site. They have to give you this under FOI.
Every landfill site has to have an odour management plan that is agreed by the EA. Therefore, that makes the site and the EA jointly responsible for the odours if they are a problem.

The waste site will be divided into cells, and as each cell fills up it is capped off before they move along to the next cell, which in turns moves any smell issue closer of further to you depending on your location and the cell location.

Ah no it's not the same one @BigGlasses Hope yours is sorted out. That's really helpful thank you @Bigfatpicnic I will give them a call. we would be on the side where they are piling up the earth in to a ridge. Not currently where they are putting the waste. As far as I can tell from my research so far, it's the villages on the eastern side that are getting the smell etc. Actually I think I've seen some FOI requests online. Not sure if you can read the outcome though.

You say that the villages on the Eastern side are getting the smell, but it very much depends on wind direction

In your circumstances I think I would. If it was an ongoing, live site then I'd say no - I drive past one every day and there are some very smelly days. It's right near a very naice market town where properties go for well over £1m and I never understand it.

In your case, you're right - if there was a chance it stank you'd know about it from the holiday let reviews and in any event if it's closing it won't be an issue for very long.

It sounds like you're swaying towards going for it, but IMHO I would too!