Company linked to Crooked House hit over environmental breaches at neighbouring landfill

The High Court has issued two injunctions against Himley Environmental, which operates the landfill site next to The Crooked House at Himley, near Dudley, which was 'wrongfully' demolished last year following an arson attack.

Himley Environmental was previously run by 45-year-old Adam Taylor, who is now sole director of A T E Farms, which bought the 258-year-old pub shortly before it was set alight by arsonists.

The company demolished the gutted pub hours after the fire, without permission from the planning authority.

South Staffordshire Council ordered A T E Farms to rebuild the pub, but the company has appealed and is awaiting a hearing.

In the latest move, the High Court has issued two injunctions against Himley Environmental following an application by the Environment Agency over breaches of its licences.

A judge ordered the company to comply with a series of enforcement notices relating to the management of gases and surface water, the monitoring of soil contamination, and site security.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "At present, landfill gas is freely venting to air and the site is insecure, which is posing a significant risk of pollution and potential harm to human health.

"This action demonstrates that the Environment Agency will take robust action against operators who do not comply with the conditions of their environmental permits."

He added that for their own safety, people should not enter landfill sites.

A T E Farms, then under the control of Mr Taylor's wife Carly, bought The Crooked House from pub chain Marston's on July 27 last year.

On August 5 it was hit by an arson attack which caused extensive damage, causing an outcry across the world. It was demolished on August 7, after the building was handed back A T E Farms.

Six people – a 66-year-old man from Dudley, a 33-year-old man from Milton Keynes, a 51-year-old man from Buckingham, a 34-year woman, a 44-year-old man and a 23-year-old man, all from Leicestershre – were arrested last year in relation to the fire. They have since been released without charge while the investigation continues.

Last week the Express & Star reported how the site of the pub itself had become an 'environmental disaster', with wooden panels, bin bags, canisters and furniture dumped at the entrance of the landfill site.

David Shotton, of the ‘Save the Crooked House – Let’s Get It Rebuilt’ campaign, said: "The pilings that hold back the landfill have now finally and completely given up, and has allowed the land to surge forward, allowing contaminated soils and debris to navigate through the brook.

"The impact this will have on the local wildlife and surrounding area will no doubt suffer in the long term if nothing is done about it fairly soon."