High Court injunction issued after scrap yard fire

The director of an unregulated scrap metal site has been told he must comply with a High Court interim injunction or face possible arrest following a fire.

Crews tackled the blaze involving about 80 tonnes of waste at Springwell Metal Recycling, in Springwell Lane, Harefield, near Rickmansworth, on 5 May.

Hillingdon Council said it took action after the company's director Martin Nolan and business associate Mark Green, showed a "flagrant disregard" of a planning enforcement notice they issued in September 2024, to "cease the use of the land as a scrap metal yard".

The Environment Agency, working with the council on the legal action, said: "Our criminal investigation into the site continues."

Nolan said he would be "complying with the order but other than that there's not much to say."

He added: "Mark has nothing to do with Springwell Metal Recycling, he resigned a long time ago, we don't really understand why he has been mentioned."

Daniel Kennedy, Hillingdon Council's corporate director of residents services, said: "This judgement is a significant step in the council's efforts to halt unlawful activities at this site.

"We share residents' concerns and frustrations, and I'm pleased the High Court has recognised the urgency of this issue by granting the interim injunction".

The council said Springwell Metal Recycling commenced use of the site without planning permission, generating complaints from residents.

It appealed against the council's enforcement notice last year but it was upheld.

The site continued to remain in use and "cause harm", so the council said it applied for the interim injunction to "cease activities on the land".

The High Court injunction prevents:

• The use of the land, or any part thereof, in breach of the requirements of the enforcement notice
• The use of the land as a scrap metal yard
• Carrying out any development on the land
• Carrying out any further works on the land including, but not limited to, any building or engineering operations, the clearance or levelling of any land and/or the laying of any hardstanding or hardcore or materials
• Depositing on the land any waste materials, hardcore or similar substances
• Bringing onto, keeping or storing on the land any vehicles, plant and/or machinery unless necessary to secure the cessation of the use of the land and/or to clear the land.

The council is now seeking a full injunction which, along with requiring the use of the land as a scrap metal site to cease, would also require its full clearance.

"The defendants have shown flagrant disregard of the enforcement notice and the wider impact of the site on the local area, but this hasn't prevented the council taking further, robust action to ensure planning rules are enforced and bring activities to an end," Kennedy added.

"My thanks to our planning enforcement and legal teams for securing this positive result."

The Environment Agency spokesman added: "We shut down the illegal waste site in Rickmansworth by the name of Springwell Lane Metal Recycling Ltd, de-registered the operator's waste exemption, and instructed them to remove the waste.

"Our criminal investigation into the site continues.

"The Environment Agency is working with Hillingdon Council to resolve the matter swiftly, and will use all powers necessary.

"Over the last year, we have closed 743 illegal waste sites and are laser focused on making sure that the polluter pays."

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