Crawley - Watchlist site 35

Allen’s Wood is a large area of land in Crawley, West Sussex that is divided up into smaller plots and has suffered from small-scale tipping and burning of general waste over a number of years. It is believed the waste tipping started in 2020.

The Environment Agency’s Environmental Crime team for Kent, South London and East Sussex has carried out environmental assessments on watchlist site 35 and discovered a number of problems impacting the community and posing a potential risk to the environment. These include vermin spotted on site, the visual impact of waste still present, together with the fire risk and concern for the local waterways.

We are working with partner organisations, including the local authority, the police and the fire and rescue service to identify those responsible for the tipping and burning of waste and will take the necessary enforcement action, if applicable.

Continuing to work with our partners, we will monitor the site and aim to identify the landowners responsible for this illegal waste activity.

We have received enquiries from the local community and MP for the area and have kept them up to date with our involvement and action.