Denver Knitwear fined £4,000 for waste fly-tipped in Healey Dell Nature Reserve

Total Brand Limited, trading as Denver Knitwear, whose waste was found fly-tipped has been fined £4,000

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A Manchester company whose waste was found fly-tipped in one of Rochdale’s best loved beauty spots has been fined £4,000 by the court.

Total Brand Limited, trading as Denver Knitwear, of unit 2, Sherbourn Street, Manchester was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £400, after they pleaded guilty to failing to arrange proper disposal of their commercial waste, after a large amount of it was found fly-tipped in Healey Dell Nature Reserve in July 2013.

Bury and Rochdale Magistrates’ Court heard that the company’s waste, consisting of cardboard boxes filled with polythene wrap, large spools of cotton, material remnants and bags of waste paper, was found at the bottom of a steep embankment at the site, which is popular with walkers and sightseers.

Following a tip off from a member of the public, an environmental management team visited the nature reserve and traced the waste back to Total Brand Limited, whose registered office is listed as 63 Valley Road, Heaton Mersey, Stockport.

Despite several requests, the company failed to provide the council with any explanation as to why their waste came to be in Healey Dell and also didn’t provide evidence that they had used a licensed waste removal firm.

The company pleaded guilty to three offences contrary to section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 following the hearing on 4 March, 2015. The court also awarded Rochdale Borough Council costs in excess of £3,900, to cover both the legal fees and the removal and disposal of the fly-tipped waste.

Councillor Jacquie Beswick, Cabinet Member for Environment said: “Fly-tipping is a crime, and what is particularly bad in this case is that the waste was left in one of the most beautiful parts of our borough, which is enjoyed by many of our residents. The council investigates all complaints of flytipping and won’t hesitate to take action against both people who dump waste and those who the waste originally belonged to if they fail to organise its proper removal by an authorised business.”

Janice Percy, from the Healy Dell Heritage Centre, said: “We are really pleased that this prosecution has been made and with the rubbish that was left, those responsible were identified.

"There has always been a problem with fly tipping in the Dell and there has always been an ongoing effort to try and stop it. I just hope this case shows that this will not be tolerated because the Dell is a beautiful place.”