The sewage leaked into fresh water at Shotton Beck and was discovered by the Environment Agency
Taylor Wimpey has been fined for causing a sewage leak into the stream(Image: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
Property developer Taylor Wimpey has been fined £300,000 for causing a sewage leak while building a housing estate. The firm was building homes in Sedgefield when construction debris fell down a manhole blocking a sewer and causing it to burst.
The sewage leaked into fresh water at Shotton Beck and was discovered by the Environment Agency. Newcastle Crown Court heard how it was leaking into the stream for seven days and had affected animals.
The company admitted being responsible for the leak while working on the Eden Gardens development on September 17, 2019. It was sentenced on Thursday – almost seven years later.
The court heard how an Environment Agency officer came across sewage fungus on the stream bed of Shotton Beck while conducting a routine inspection. They saw sewage upstream and identified that it was coming from the housing development.
Manhole chambers were found to have been damaged by vehicles on the site and debris, which included bricks, had blocked the sewer. Judge Stephen Earl said the manhole covers were not protective.
The judge fined the company £300,000 and ordered them to pay prosecution costs of £10,861.73 and a £181 victim surcharge. He said: “I order that to be paid in full by the 31st July.”
Judge Earl said that he accepted there was remorse demonstrated by the company and that there had been delays caused to the case, describing it as “offending which took place almost seven years ago”.
Taylor Wimpey pleaded guilty to the offence in July 2023. The sentencing hearing was delayed by a trial on a related contested charge for which the company was acquitted.
Another image of the pollution at Shotton Beck(Image: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
Following the sentencing hearing, Taylor Wimpey said: “As a responsible developer, Taylor Wimpey is committed to sustainability and has a clear strategy in place to protect and enhance the environment.
“We will always take proactive action to manage potential environmental problems if they arise and we express our sincere regret for any environmental damage caused by this isolated incident.”
Pictures, which were taken at the scene, show the stream turning a red colour. The Environment Agency say it was suspected to be effluent from a local abattoir which would normally be treated at the sewage works – and sewage fungus strewn at least 1.5km downstream.
The non-departmental public body said Taylor Wimpey had already been advised about pollution prevention regarding debris in the sewage system after an earlier incident in June 2019.
They said that, as part of the new housing development, they had applied to Northumbrian Water to construct some new sewers and divert an existing one, which included constructing several new manhole chambers. They say that by mid-2019 the diverted sewer was carrying sewage through the site despite none of the legal agreements with Northumbrian Water being finalised.
Northumbrian Water attended the site on June 4, 2019 because a bung – which is placed to close off a section of disused sewer – had been dislodged and become stuck further down the line. As a result, sewage effluent flooded out of a manhole cover and onto the construction site.
The Environment Agency say that Taylor Wimpey was later advised by themselves, and Northumbrian Water, about pollution prevention and good working practices, including the need to stop debris entering the sewer network. Rachael Caldwell, Area Environment Manager at the Environment Agency, said: “We expect companies to take their environmental responsibilities seriously and ensure they take steps to prevent pollution.
This incident was preventable and caused real harm to the stream and the life it supports. Companies must stop pollution before it happens, and when they fail, we will act. We are determined to hold those who pollute our waterways to account and will not hesitate to take enforcement action.”
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