Anyone caught tampering with the locks, concrete blocks, or warning notices will face criminal prosecution
It is now a criminal offence for anyone to enter the land without a reasonable excuse or written permission.(Image: Isle of Thanet Gazette)
An illegal waste operation on a Ramsgate industrial estate has been effectively barricaded by the Environment Agency (EA) following an emergency court ruling. Last Friday (March 20), the EA successfully obtained a Restriction Order at Margate Magistrates’ Court for an illicit dumping ground operating out of Units 26 and 27 at Leigh Road, on the Haine Industrial Estate in Newington.
The EA has padlocked the site’s gates, installed heavy concrete blocks to prevent vehicle access, and erected formal warning notices at the entrance. The court order introduces strict legal boundaries around the site.
It is now a criminal offence for anyone to enter the land without a reasonable excuse or written permission from the EA. Anyone caught tampering with the locks, concrete blocks, or warning notices will face criminal prosecution.
The enforcement action was triggered by public tip-offs. Residents reported seeing massive amounts of “baled” waste – large bags stuffed with shredded refuse – being dumped at the industrial estate.
Following these reports, EA officers carried out an urgent site inspection on March 4, before moving quickly through the courts to halt the operation. EA environment manager Matt Higginson said: “This follows on from the successful Restriction Orders we obtained at Eastchurch and Minster on the Isle of Sheppey, and at Hoads Wood near Ashford.
“It shows we will act against those who flout the law. We know illegal waste activity harms the environment and has a devastating effect on communities.
“Our priority is protecting the local community, and this order has been secured following residents’ concerns over the environmental impact of the tipping at this site.” The Ramsgate closure is part of the Government’s newly unveiled nationwide Waste Crime Action Plan, a sweeping package of measures targeting illegal dumping.
The plan takes a zero-tolerance approach, and is designed to stop waste crime at its source by closing legal loopholes and giving regulators expanded enforcement powers, such as the rapid use of Restriction Orders, to ensure criminals face immediate consequences.
- If you see or suspect illegal tipping of waste, you can report it to the EA’s 24/7 incident hotline on 0800 807060, or report it to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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