Taking out the trash: waste clearance begins following court action

Clearance is underway at an illegal waste site in West Yorkshire after court action by the Environment Agency. 

Andrew Leadbeater, 57, was ordered to clear the site at Wyke Lane, Bradford, by 17th June after pleading guilty to waste offences on Friday 17th April at West Yorkshire Magistrates’ Court. 

Work had already commenced on the clearance ahead of the hearing. 

The court heard he was charged with operating a waste site without an environmental permit and failing to comply with a notice from the Environment Agency to clear the waste. 

As well as being given two months to clear the waste, he was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £6,067.50 in costs and a victim surcharge of £26.

Ben Hocking, area environment manager for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire, said: ‘This illegal waste operation had impacted local residents for some time and I’m pleased it’s now being cleared. 

‘We’re cracking down on waste crime across the sector and we will take action against those who breach the law. 

‘It’s important anyone who has information about illegal waste activity reports it to us as soon as possible so we can investigate.’ 

Complaints about fly tipping and burning at the site were first made to the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council in 2023. 

During a visit in June that year, Leadbeater said some of the waste had been fly-tipped on his land and admitted burning it, adding he would stop and arrange for the site to be cleared. 

In June 2024, he contacted the council to report further fly-tipping. Officers who attended found a significant amount of waste and referred the case to the Environment Agency. 

Agency officers first visited the site in September 2024, where they saw fire-damaged trailers and large quantities of mixed waste including household rubbish, paints, engine oils, tyres and construction materials. 

Follow-up visits in November 2024 and March 2025 found no waste had been removed and a notice requiring clearance by 22nd September 2025 was not complied with. 

Leadbeater later failed to attend an interview with the Environment Agency in October 2025.

Image: Nick Fewings/UnSplash 

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