Man fined and told to clear illegal waste site

A man has been fined more than £6,000 for operating an illegal waste site.

Andrew Leadbeater, 57, was ordered to clear the land on Wyke Lane in Bradford by 17 June and handed a 12-month conditional discharge by a court.

He pleaded guilty at Kirklees Magistrates' Court on 17 April to operating a waste site without a permit and failing to comply with a notice from the Environment Agency to remove the waste.

Environment Agency area manager Ben Hocking said the illegal operation had impacted local residents for some time.

He said: "We're cracking down on waste crime across the sector and we will take action against those who breach the law."

Work to clear the site had already started ahead of the hearing on Friday and Leadbeater was ordered to pay £6,067.50 in costs and a victim surcharge of £26.

The council first received complaints about flytipping and burning at the site in 2023.

In June 2023, Leadbeater told the council some of the waste had been flytipped on his land, and admitted to burning it. He said he would stop burning and arrange for the site to be cleared.

A year later Leadbeater contacted the council to complain flytipping had taken place on his land and the council referred the case to the Environment Agency.

When Environment Agency officers visited in September 2024, they saw fire-damaged trailers and a large amount of waste, including paints, engine oils and tyres.

Leadbeater told officers he was aware of the waste but did not know who had deposited it.

During follow-up visits in November 2024 and March 2025 officers found nothing had been removed.

The Environment Agency issued a notice requiring Leadbeater to clear the land by 22 September 2025, which he did not comply with.

Leadbeater was asked to attend an interview with the Environment Agency in October 2025 but failed to do so.

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