Our response to the issues at Walleys Quarry

The University has been engaging regularly with Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council and others to express our concern about Walleys Quarry and the impact that it is having locally, and following guidance from the Environment Agency and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

We will continue to engage with key authorities with regard to this matter to limit the impact on our campus community and the local area, as well as carrying out associated academic research.

What is Walleys Quarry?

Walleys Quarry is a landfill site located near the centre of Newcastle-under-Lyme, approximately 1.5 miles from Keele University. There have been concerns about odours from the site affecting the immediately adjacent communities for some time, with an increase in the frequency of complaints in late 2020 and into 2021, and also occasionally further away from the site including on the Keele campus.

On campus, the odour is not permanently present, and when it does reach Keele it tends to be present in specific pockets of campus depending on the prevailing weather conditions. The odour usually dissipates fairly quickly compared to those areas immediately around the landfill site.

As such, the University has been engaging in a multi-agency response to tackle the problem and support our residents and communities who are affected by the issue.

A closure notice was issued to the quarry on 28 November 2024. This requires a range of measures to now be put in place to cap the site and place appropriate infrastructure in place to remove landfill gases. The progress on this work is being overseen by the Environment Agency who report that they expect the odour outside the site to reduce as the additional gas infrastructure and capping required by the Notice are completed. We are hopeful that this issue will therefore begin to reduce in the coming weeks.

What is the Environment Agency doing about it?

Information from the Environment Agency about their response to Walleys Quarry can be found on their dedicated web pages.

What is Keele University doing about the issue?

The University worked with Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and their solicitors to support their legal action against the operator of Walleys Quarry, which resulted in the "Abatement Notice" being issued.

The Borough Council thanked us for the significant time and effort that we put into supporting the case, with our evidence together with that from other partners and residents being key to having this Abatement Notice officially ratified by the court.

More detail, including Frequently Asked Questions, can be found on the Council’s website that provides details on the agreement and also provides information relating to the next steps.

UKHSA is working closely with the EA and other multiagency partners to monitor the situation and provide public health risk assessments and health advice. We are directed by the UKHSA in all matters of public health.   

UKSHA advise us that anyone with health concerns or symptoms should contact NHS 111 or their local GP. As such the University encourages all staff, students and residents to follow this advice. This will ensure that the right medical advice and appropriate measures can be provided, specific to an individual’s circumstances.

Associated academic research at Keele

In addition to our engagement with public bodies on this matter to support our community, we’re also carrying out academic research to investigate whether environmental issues can have an impact on primary care consultation patterns for potentially relevant symptoms or health conditions.

Report a concern about Walleys Quarry

You can report a smell from Walleys Quarry to the Environment Agency via the official reporting form.

You can also report concerns to Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.

Additional mental health support

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) is offering additional mental health support for residents experiencing emotional distress due to the odours coming from the quarry. 

The service, provided by Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) in partnership with North Staffs Mind and Changes Health and Wellbeing is open to those aged 16 and over who live or work in close proximity to the site in Silverdale.

People can access this support through the Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Wellbeing Service by calling 0300 303 0923 or visiting their website where an online self-referral can be made.