Substantial Works To Stop The Horrors Of The Launders Lane Fires Could Take Seven Years.

It could take up to seven years to put a stop to a perennially burning rubbish dump in Rainham, the council says, writes local democracy reporter Sebastian Mann.

Arnolds Field, in Launders Lane, has caught fire more than 100 times since 2019, sending potentially harmful smoke into people’s homes. Residents nearby have reported suffering from stinging eyes and constant coughing, and now keep their windows closed.

In a report published this week, Havering Council said any “substantial” works to stop the blazes could take between three and seven years to realise. A temporary solution, however, may be reachable within six months to a year.

Havering says it is currently exploring ways to improve security on the privately-owned land, to prevent oxygen reaching underground waste, and to “oblige” the landowner to take action to stop the fires.

In June, the High Court ruled the council acted unlawfully by not designating the land as contaminated, after a lengthy legal campaign fronted by Clean the Air Havering.

The court found council officers had relied on incomplete data and misunderstood legal definitions around contamination by “wrongly believing” toxic smoke did not qualify.

In the latest report, the town hall said it “continues to do all it can to find a solution to stop the fires and associated smoke and to ensure that those legally responsible for resolving the situation do so as quickly as possible”. However, the situation “remains complex”.

Three months on from the judicial decision, the council is yet to have made a decision on the land.

It says it has “continued to carefully consider the available information, data and evidence” and is “in the process of making a new decision on whether or not the site should be determined as contaminated land”.

If Havering was to designate Launders Lane as contaminated, it would compel the landowner to clean it up. If not, the council says it will issue an abatement notice to force them to “take the necessary steps” to stop the “nuisance” caused by the smoke.

Between 2002 and 2014, Arnolds Field was the site of significant fly tipping, illegal firearms storage, and drug production.

The volume of illegal waste dumped, combined with a lack of management in the manner, is the root cause of the ongoing fires and smoke, the council says.

The fires became an annual problem in the summer of 2019, though residents say they have dealt with them for more than 20 years.

Following the High Court ruling, Ruth Kettle-Frisby, one of three local mothers running the clean air campaign, said iIt “confirmed what we’ve been saying for years – that this site poses a real danger”.

She added: “The council can no longer ignore the evidence, and this ruling forces them to act.”

The report will go before cabinet next week.

Stay up to date with all of our latest updates and content by following us on our social media accounts!

We have created community pages where we will share our up-to-date stories happening in the area. Add the area closest to where you live.