An illegal 7,500-tonne waste dump has been discovered on a 50-metre strip of land just yards from the former Premier League stadium Valley Parade in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Drone images reveal household and commercial rubbish piled high, with the stench reported by locals during a recent heatwave.
Investigation launched
The Environment Agency (EA) has launched an investigation into the illegal waste site, which sits across the road from the 24,840-capacity home of League One side Bradford City AFC. The EA estimates the dump contains multiple tonnes of mixed waste and is working to identify those responsible.
Drone footage shows the dump stretching half the length of a football pitch, with large towers of trash and hundreds of black bin bags. An articulated lorry and rusting containers are also visible on the site off Midland Road in Manningham.
Resident reports
A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said they had seen “strange” trucks entering the land and disposing of waste. “This issue came to light when we had the recent heatwave and the local area was overcome by a disgusting smell of rotten foods and waste,” they said. “We were not able to leave windows or doors open due to the disgusting and pungent smell.”
The resident decided to investigate and saw an excavator moving large bags of waste. “I was able to catch a glimpse … and saw a excavator moving around huge black bags of waste. There was an artic trailer as well as some sort of incinerator,” they added.
Councillors' response
In a joint statement, Manningham's Independent councillors Muhammed Ali Islam, Muhammad Haseeb Khan and Mohammed Saliss said they were “deeply appalled”. They said: “This is completely unacceptable and represents a blatant disregard for our community and the environment. We will not tolerate anyone treating our community as a dumping ground.”
The councillors reported that early indications suggest HGVs travelled into Manningham from outside the area to dispose of the waste, describing the dumping as “organised” and potentially “even more disgraceful” if confirmed. They praised residents for their vigilance.
Environment Agency statement
An EA spokesperson said reports were received on Wednesday, July 1, and officers attended, estimating multiple tonnes of waste. “They are following up several lines of enquiry to track down those responsible, and working to trace the landowner to ensure the site is properly secured,” the spokesperson said. The EA is also working with Bradford Council, West Yorkshire Police, and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Ben Hocking, area environment manager at the EA, said: “We have launched an investigation to find those responsible for illegal waste dumping in central Bradford so they can be held to account. We are assessing the site's environmental impact and making enquiries to trace the landowner to ensure the site is secured.”
Councillor Ian Walker, Bradford Council's executive member for neighbourhoods and communities, confirmed the council is aware and will support the EA's investigation.
