Pershore 1 Watchlist site 81

Farmland at Stone Arrow Farm in Pershore near Worcester has been designated as watchlist site 81 as part of the Environment Agency’s national investigation into potentially unlawful waste sites. Approximately 1,500 to 2,000 tonnes of waste was imported onto the site between October 2024 and December 2025. The waste consisted of contaminated aggregate and shredded wood waste.

As the site is close to residential properties, the waste previously posed a number of problems, leading to wide-ranging complaints from the local community. These included the impact of dust, as well as noise and traffic relating to activity on the site. There were also occasional fires. However by March 2026, the majority of the waste was removed and activity on the site ceased, ensuring that the risk of impact on residents and the local environment has been substantially reduced.

The Environment Agency has worked tirelessly with partner agencies, including the emergency services, to target the offending behaviour. Following the launch of a criminal investigation, the bulk of the waste has been removed and a successful outcome to the investigation achieved. No more waste has been deposited at the site. However, we still attend the site regularly to ensure there is no resumption of activity and to assess any environmental risks. We also carry out activities with other agencies, including vehicle stops with the police.