Mum-of-three living in Northampton caravan park says nearby industrial units are "making her life a misery"

A Northampton mother-of-three who says nearby industrial units are "making her life a misery" will be given a chance to directly air her concerns later this month.

Sheryl Hadfield has been living on a caravan park in Lower Ecton Lane for six years - others have been living there for 35 years.

Of particular concern is the Mick George recycling centre, which Sheryl says is creating a large amount of dust in the area and she is concerned about the impact on Ecton Brook Primary School, Billing Aquadrome, Ecton Village and her nearby neighbours.

She will be meeting with representatives of the centre later this month, along with the leader of the Labour group on Northampton Borough Council. Mick George says they have not had any issues previously and is regularly visited by the Environment Agency.

But Sheryl is still concerned. Sheryl, who is the spokesperson for the site which has 35 other families and is home to dozens of people, says the industrial area has been extended and claims that their lives have been made a misery.

Sheryl has raised concerns about the impact of its operations, crushing up materials such as brick, concrete and soil.

"The dust is really bad. It has made our lives a misery, really.

"In the summer months we can't sit outside because it's just full of dust, it's on our windows and on our cars, too. If it is visible then it can't be good for our health.

"It's also mentally draining. It's depressing. We already live in a bad spot, we have got the tip, the A45 and the water company. We are already in a bad area and this makes it even worse.

"I just don't think Mick George has considered us at all - I feel forgotten about.

"If we were not living here then yes fine, but we are all here. To me, this type of centre needs to be in the middle of nowhere.

"And even if they have done all the tests going and the dust is not toxic, it still affects us and damages us - it affects our day-to-day living.

"We can feel the dust in the back of our throats on a miserable winter's day, in summer it is going to be really bad," Sheryl said.

Sheryl has also raised the issue with the leader of the Northampton Labour group Danielle Stone, who said she is concerned and will be joining Sheryl in a meeting this month to discuss the issues.

Danielle praised Sheryl for getting involved and reaching out to those who may also be affected.

She said: "I am delighted the spokesperson Sheryl has reached out to the village, the school and Billing Aquadrome. I think she has done a really good job. Credit to her for doing that."

Also attending the meeting will be representatives of Mick George, which has a recycling centre in the area near to their homes.

A spokesperson for Mick George told the Chronicle & Echo that the Environment Agency (EA) has not reported any problems with waste pollution, and that the firm has not experienced any issues to date.

The spokesperson said: "We are not the only operator on the Lower Ecton Lane Site at Great Billing, which is a designated commercial industrial area in the local waste and mineral zone.

"Our site is subject to regular compliance and monitoring visits from the Environment Agency, none of which have reported any such problems as those being alleged.

"We have been operating on the site since 2007, have been a member and attended local liaison group meetings organised by the local parish council since we took up occupation over 13 years ago and not experienced any problems as a result of our site operations to date."

The spokesperson said the site was a 'strategic location' which deals with a 'wide range of waste'.

"The Great Billing Waste Transfer Station is a strategic location dealing with a wide range of waste derived within Northamptonshire achieving recycling rates in excess of 90 per cent."

An Environment Agency spokesman said regular assessments are conducted and improvements are suggested to sites such as this where necessary.

The EA spokesman said: “The Environment Agency regulates a number of permitted waste facilities within the vicinity of Lower Ecton Lane. Some of these facilities store and treat soil and stones for onward use, including the Mick George site. We conduct regular assessments and suggest improvements at these sites where necessary.

“If any members of the public want to report an environmental incident they can call our incident hotline number on 0800 807060 and we will investigate.”