Craigmore residents kick up 'stink'

Cllr Billy Leonard raised the issue at Tuesday's meeting of Council's Leisure and Environment Committee.

Director of Environmental Health Kieran Doherty said that the issue had been on-going since last year.

He said that in January the smell of methane gas had begun to permeate the area and efforts had been made to capture the gas.

"This was partially successful during February and March but during the last few weeks the smell has been getting worse," said Mr Doherty.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency is the sole regulator of the site and their inspections of the site were described as "sluggish".

Mr Doherty said that Coleraine Council had been looking at issuing a notice to the operator of the Craigmore site.

This would be quite unique for a local authority to serve a Public Health notice on an operator which had already been authorised by the NI Environment Agency.

"Things have now started to move quickly," said Mr Doherty, adding that the Environment Agency had served an enforcement notice on the site.

This means that steps have to be taken immediately otherwise the Environment Agency can close the site.

"An operator losing his operating permit is the most severe sanction available," said Mr Doherty.

Cllr Leonard said that the residents had spent an most uncomfortable number of weeks because of the smell.

Mr Doherty agreed saying that he and his officers had been to the site and could verify the complaints about the methane smell.

Cllr Leonard said: "Regarding the enforcement notice from the Environment Agency, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating."

He said that the residents were dissatisfied with the reaction of the Environment Agency who, he claimed, made them feel that the problem had to be a "9 to 5 smell" before they would deal with it.

Mr Doherty said that he would keep councillors updated on the matter and would hopefully report back with good news.