South Northants business fined more than £22,000 over biomass boiler nuisance

A W Duncombe & Son Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching an abatement notice served by South Northamptonshire Council at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on September 18.

The business in Helmdon was ordered to pay a £12,000 fine, £4,218 costs and £1,000 compensation to each of the six people who complained about the pollution.

Cllr Dermot Bambridge, portfolio holder for environmental services, said: “There’s nothing more important than the air we breathe and while legal action is always a last resort we had no option but to take firm action in this case.”

The council’s environmental protection team received allegations of smoke and odours coming from the biomass boiler at 2 Field Way in Helmdon at the beginning of November last year.

Following an investigation, the abatement notice was served prohibiting further nuisance after December 8, 2017.

But more complaints were made and once officers carried out further tests in the area they were satisfied the notice was being breached and a prosecution case was prepared.

Anyone worried about pollution in the district should visit www.southnorthants.gov.uk/pollutioninfo, email [email protected], or call 01327 322323.