One of Gloucestershire’s most notorious illegal waste sites, located at Severnside Farm on the outskirts of Gloucester, is now subject to a court-imposed ban prohibiting any further waste dumping. The Environment Agency took the matter to Gloucester magistrates, resulting in a prohibition notice designed to prevent additional illegal deposits on the land.
The illegal waste accumulation was first discovered in early 2026 on land situated between St Oswald’s retail park and the A40 on Gloucester’s north-west edge. In response, a coordinated operation involving the Environment Agency, local police, and Gloucester City Council took place last month to disrupt the activity at Severnside Farm. This operation included positioning 84 concrete blocks at the entrance points to prevent vehicle access and further dumping.
A clean-up effort commenced on 22 July but was halted the following day due to the discovery of large quantities of illegally dumped asbestos, posing significant health risks. During the operation, heavy plant machinery was seized, and two vehicles carrying waste to the site were stopped. Authorities managed to remove 75 tonnes of waste, though estimates suggest that some 250 tonnes remain at the location.
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James Dykes, Gloucester City Council’s enforcement and regulation service manager, emphasised the council’s firm commitment to clearing and closing the site. He stated, “We remain absolutely determined to clear this site completely and to protect local residents. After addressing the asbestos concerns, we will focus on tackling the remaining challenges.”
The court order, which came into effect on 12 August and will be in place for six months, makes it a criminal offence for anyone to enter the site to dump waste. Nick Green, Area Environment Manager at the Environment Agency, condemned those responsible, saying, “The criminals involved in dumping this waste have caused misery for the community and the environment.”
He added, “This order demonstrates our commitment to halting the reckless and illegal handling and disposal of waste. Working closely with our partners, we have secured the site while criminal investigations are ongoing.”
This action is part of a wider national effort under the Environment Agency’s 10 Point Plan, which seeks to expand restriction notices and orders to curb illegal dumping. Green also highlighted the vital role of local communities, urging residents to report suspicious activity promptly to enable swift intervention.
Gloucester City Council expressed gratitude to the Environment Agency for obtaining the Restriction Order and vowed to continue collaborating with the police and the Agency to combat illegal waste dumping at Severnside Farm and other reported sites. Dykes commented, “Illegal waste activities cause significant harm to local communities. We want to make clear that Gloucester City Council will take robust and appropriate action against offenders. We will keep working with partners to identify culprits, disrupt illegal actions, and protect our communities and environment.”
Ensuring compliance with the court order falls to local police. Insp James O’Neill of the Gloucester Neighbourhood Policing team stated, “We will take strong action against anyone caught fly tipping illegally. Such acts spoil our communities, pose health risks to residents, and lead to considerable public cleaning costs.”