Residents have demanded their local landfill is shut down as they come under siege from thousands of seagulls that have infested the tip – despite it being 30 miles from the coast.
People living close to the Whinney Hill tip in Altham, near Blackburn, say their lives have been made ‘unbearable’ by never-ending hordes of the winged creatures.
The Lancashire residents say they are already ‘close to breaking point’ over the noise, smell and mess made by huge flocks of gulls.
And they fear that things might get even worse, with dire predictions that their numbers could triple to 9,000 during the coming breeding season.
Dozens of residents attended a protest meeting to demand the closure of the 205 acre site which they claim is the only solution to the gull infestation.
More than 50 protesters gathered at Church Lane, Clayton-le-Moors, in Lancashire, last Saturday.
The controversial tip in Altham, operated by SUEZ Recycling and Recovery, has been the subject of repeated complaints for more than a year.
Irritated locals have complained about foul smells and flocks of more than 3000 seagulls that swarm the surrounding sky – despite being 30 miles from the sea – which is expected to triple by the end of April.
Suez said it is ‘actively working to deter the seagulls’ and respects residents’ right to peaceful protest.
Gary Hough, 62, who is the admin of Facebook campaign group Tipped Over The Edge, said: ‘This is an unacceptable situation, and we refuse to tolerate it any longer.
‘As we enter the gull breeding season, we anticipate their numbers will triple by April or May, far beyond the already unbearable levels.
‘Unless you live in this area and experience it firsthand, it’s impossible to understand just how bad the situation has been for over a year – and it’s only getting worse.
‘The relentless noise, mess, and disruption caused by these birds are having a devastating effect on people’s health, wellbeing, and their fundamental right to enjoy their homes.’
Hyndburn Borough Council passed a motion calling for ‘urgent action on the impact of Whinney Hill Landfill Site’ when it met in Accrington Town Hall last month.
The council’s deputy leader Cllr Noordad Aziz proposed the motion to the meeting calling on SUEZ, Lancashire County Council and regulator the Environment Agency to draw up an action plan for sorting out the problems.
Cllr Aziz said: ‘A temporary closure is the only solution because the health and well being of people is paramount’.
Mr Hough welcomed the motion but said a temporary closure ‘is not enough’.
He said: ‘Hyndburn Council has recently called on Lancashire County Council to temporarily close the landfill – a step we welcome.
‘However, a temporary closure is not enough as we firmly believe the tip must be shut down permanently.’
A spokesperson for SUEZ said: ‘Whinney Hill landfill site has been in operation since the 1970s and provides an essential service, managing primarily household waste from across Lancashire, including Hyndburn.
‘Our site is regulated by the Environment Agency, and we have an active environmental management system in place to manage any odour or pests which we keep under constant review.
The waste company said that ‘Lancashire is home to one of the largest seagull colonies in Europe’ which has grown in population following the pandemic, causing seagulls to ‘migrate further inland for food sources’.
They have also been taking non-lethal preventative measures to deter the seagulls using gas canons, blank firing pistols, pyrotechnics, lasers and birds of prey.
The spokesperson also said: ‘We are a responsible operator and recognise the inconvenience the birds cause when they are here.
‘We respect the right to peaceful protest, and we will continue to engage with representatives of the local community on their concerns.’
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: ‘We’re taking action to ensure the operator, Suez, addresses issues at Whinney Hill landfill site and recognise the distress that odour and gulls are causing to members of the community.
‘We will continue to carry out regulatory inspections and keep working with Suez to ensure the site is compliant with its environmental permit.’
