Residents in the coastal city of Plymouth have been living with a persistent and worsening foul odour, described as "absolutely disgusting" and "rancid." The stench has forced locals in areas such as Cattedown, St Judes, Prince Rock, and Coxside to keep their windows firmly shut. Complaints about the smell date back over two decades, with former MP Linda Gilroy raising the issue in 2002, noting that some 4,000 constituents had been blighted by "bad egg" sewage smells for more than four years.
Recent Complaints and Political Response
Labour MP Luke Pollard revealed he has been contacted by numerous residents regarding South West Water's sewage works at Cattedown, particularly between April 22 and April 26, when the stench was "unbearable." The Safer Seas and River Service app flagged a spill at a nearby sewage overflow on April 21, which has recorded 117 events this year, though the connection to the smell remains unclear.
Pollard stated: "I have written to South West Water demanding immediate action. Many locals have shared incredibly unpleasant experiences, and it is frankly unacceptable that they are being forced to endure this. I will continue to press South West Water to address this matter and to put things right for people who live near the site."
Residents' Experiences
Residents have described the smell as making their eyes water, with one local noting it "reaches me in Plymstock." Social media complaints include remarks such as "it's disgusting" and "even with my windows shut, I still smell it. Rancid." Former Labour councillor Mary Aspinall, who lost her seat in the May 7 local elections, encouraged affected residents to formally report the issue to South West Water and Plymouth City Council. She held a meeting with council public health officers, requesting an investigation.
Official Responses
A Plymouth City Council spokesperson said: "We have not received any recent complaints from the public but we would encourage people to report any issues to South West Water in the first instance. If the problem is persistent, we can also investigate but we would ask people to provide a three-week diary recording the issues they have experienced."
South West Water commented: "We recognise the concern caused by reports of odour in the Cattedown area. We have recently invested around £200,000 in improvements at the site, and our teams have been on site and have not identified any significant odour issues during inspections. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and work with Plymouth City Council Environmental Health Department if independent assessment is required."
