Landfill site near Holt warns of campfire spark explosion

Buyinfo, the company which operates the wasteland in Edgefield, near Holt, worries embers from fires being lit 330 metres away could ignite grass on the site's surface.

In a letter to North Norfolk District Council, agents for the company said this could cause the gas emitted from the landfill site, which is stored underground, to "uncontrollably combust", causing pollution in the area.

The landfill site owned by Buyinfo in Edgefield, which sits adjacent to the B1149 that leads to Holt (Image: Google)

The land had previously been used to store waste from the town but it has since been 'capped-up'. 

The comments were made as part of an objection to the campsite being operated at Dam Hill Plantation.

The site is currently facing a legal tussle with NNDC to continue operating after an appeal was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate against enforcement action. 

The campsite at Dam Hill Plantation (Image: Owen Sennitt)

Agents Clover Planning said on behalf of Buyinfo: "There is a build-up of dead vegetation on the surface in the summer months.

"This is a tinder-dry material which could be lit by a stray spark.

"If the vegetation were to ignite, a grass fire would be sufficient to melt the gas collection pipes... resulting in uncontrolled combustion of landfill gas. 

"Any fire would result in significant damage to pollution control and be potentially difficult to bring under control."

Nigel Marsh at his campsite in Heacham (Image: Chris Bishop)

Nigel Marsh, who runs the campsite, has refuted there is a fire risk from his site, claiming there is "no evidence" to support this claim and that his campsite would not pose any greater fire risk than that produced from agricultural activities undertaken on nearby land.

In addition, a fire risk assessment has been carried out at the site.

A decision on Mr Marsh's appeal against North Norfolk District Council is expected later this year.

He has recently won three appeals against West Norfolk Council, which centred around whether the businessman had the correct planning permission for holiday accommodation on another of his sites.