Residents living near a sewage pumping station in Willesborough, Ashford, say the smell of 'rotting eggs and diarrhoea' has become so unbearable that some have been forced to take holidays to escape it. The foul odour emanates from Southern Water's Alsops Road pumping station, which has been operational since 2010.
Residents at breaking point
Barry Jupp, 74, whose parents bought the family home in 1955, described the stench as non-stop and unpredictable. 'It's just non-stop – once it starts you'll be lucky if it goes within three or four hours,' he said. 'A cul-de-sac shouldn't smell of rotting eggs or diarrhoea, and you shouldn't have to have a hot house from closing your windows.' He noted the smell began worsening significantly in September 2025, and last month he drove to Cornwall purely to get away from it for a week. 'That's how unbearable it is. It's just such an insult,' he added.
Investigation underway
Southern Water acknowledged the issue, with a spokesperson saying: 'We're aware some residents living near our Alsops Road pumping station have complained of a bad smell and our teams are investigating. While the hot weather could be a contributing factor, we have scheduled a clean of the sewage tank, which we hope will improve the situation. We'll keep customers updated on the progress.'
Health and property concerns
Mr Jupp, who has Stage 4 terminal kidney cancer, said the smell is making him depressed and fears he will never be able to sell his home. 'Southern Water needs to be fined thousands of pounds and then build another sewage plant in Ashford because it's not fit for purpose,' he said. 'I can't even sell up because nobody wants to buy it.' Another resident, Mervin Bunclark, 80, who has lived in the road for 15 years, said the smell has worsened since new homes were built nearby, raising concerns about planned 800 new homes on a former railway works. 'When that pump gets blocked up the smell is unbelievable and it's never improved,' he said. 'We even have rats in our garden as well every week because of how neglected the site is.'
Council involvement
Ashford Borough Council (ABC) said its environmental health service has received a complaint regarding odours from the pumping station. A spokesperson said: 'The information was shared at an early stage with Southern Water, and remains under active investigation to determine whether the odour incidents cross the threshold of being an actionable statutory nuisance.'
