Toxic fumes fear may stop landfill scheme

Controversial plans to redirect a gas main through a former South Staffordshire landfill site are set to be shelved following fears the work could lead to harmful gases being released into the air, it emerged today.

An alternative route for the high-pressure gas main, which was set to be routed through the middle of Esssington's Rosemary Quarry, is now being drawn up. It would see the main re-routed around around the edge of the landfill site. Sections of a coppice would have to be chopped down and replanted in another location under the new plans.

But campaigners said the new route would be the "lesser of two evils". More than 50 tons of clinical, domestic and industrial waste were dumped at the quarry during the 1980s before the landfill section was capped under a metre of clay a decade later.

It emerged last month that the cap could be drilled and parts of it removed to allow National Grid to re-route the 24inch high-pressure main through the site. It has to be moved to allow quarrying.

A campaign was launched to halt the re-routing plans because of fears over toxic gases being released.

National Grid spokeswoman Jane Taylor said today that plans were being drawn up for a route which skirts the edge of the site.

"A route around the edge was our preferred option to start with but we decided to look at routes through the landfill to avoid having to cut down the trees," she added. They will now do a full design on the original route, which they believe is the preferred option for everyone.

Essington Parish councillor David Clifft said: "National Grid and Ibstock listened to our concerns and agreed to come back with a number of alternative routes. He believes many would want the coppice replanting rather than go through the landfill site.