WORK is being undertaken at a landfill site in Chorley to stop a smell that has been affecting nearby residents for the past few weeks.

Site operator Quercia Ltd. is undertaking major infrastructure work to try and put an end to the odour issue and is reassuring residents it is doing all it can to get the problem resolved as soon as possible.

The smell was triggered a few weeks ago at the Clayton Hall landfill site, off Dawson Lane, when work on site meant the operator had to cut through the existing tip, which has unfortunately resulted in an unpleasant odour. Hugh Stewart, Managing Director of Quercia Ltd. said: “We would like to apologise to residents for the unpleasant odour and assure them that we are making a significant investment in the site in order to eradicate the problem. We are committed to improving our communication with local residents. Going forward, information will be available on our website and we have set up a dedicated phone number for residents. We would also be happy to meet local residents to explain the situation. We are liaising with the Environment Agency, who regulate the site, to ensure they are happy with the work we are undertaking. We hope this work, which we expect to be completed by the end of January, will resolve the issue.” The smell has been detectable since the start of December but has varied depending upon work on site and weather conditions affecting people in the Clayton-le-Woods, Whittle-le-Woods and Buckshaw Village areas. An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “Acting on reports from local residents, we have investigated the site at Clayton Hall and will ensure they carry out the engineering work needed to address the odour. We know this must be unpleasant for local residents and will continue to inspect the site regularly to ensure that work is completed as quickly as possible.”