Sittingbourne - Watchlist site 90

Farmland at Raspberry Hill Park Farm in Iwade, near Sittingbourne, Kent has been the target location of illegal waste activity since 2020, causing significant damage to the local environment. Around 36,000 tonnes of soil and construction waste have been dumped here by criminal groups without permission. While large-scale dumping has now stopped, the site continues to receive occasional waste deliveries and small waste fires still occur.

There have been no immediate environmental impacts identified so far, and there is no effect on farmland, infrastructure or transport routes. However, monitoring has detected issues with dust, water and drainage concerns, as well as traffic noise and the unsightly appearance of the farmland.

The Environment Agency’s Kent, South London and East Sussex area team is working with the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, a multi-agency taskforce, to investigate illegal waste activity at watchlist site 90. 

As this is an active criminal investigation, there is no set timescale for resolving the issues at this site. Monitoring and enforcement work will continue until the illegal activity stops and appropriate regulatory or legal outcomes are reached.

We will continue to work with the Joint Unit for Waste Crime as they lead the criminal investigation into recent illegal activity at the site. Further inspections will take place, supported by partner agencies, the local authority, the police and Fire and Rescue Service, where needed.