18-Jul-2006
- On 17 July 2006 Mr J R B Lovegrove-Fielden of
Longden Manor, Pontesford, Shrewsbury, pleaded
guilty at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court to a charge
relating to polluting a tributary of the Rea Brook.
The charge was brought by the
Environment Agency under Section 85 of the Water
Resources Act 1991. Mr Lovegrove-Fielden was fined
£8,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,317.
For the Environment Agency Dermot
Scully told the court that on the 6 June 2005
the Environment Agency received reports from a
member of the public that a stream in Plealey,
near Shrewsbury appeared polluted with cow slurry.
Environment Agency officers
visited the site and found farm effluent containing
cow slurry and silage liquor discharging to a
land drain from Oaks Hall Farm. Investigations
showed that a blocked pump had caused effluent
to flow through a purpose built bypass system
overflowing to the surface water system.
Mr Lovegrove-Fielden, the owner
of the farm was informed and he co-operated by
emptying large volumes of polluted water from
the pool at Plealey Farm. A bung was put in the
drain from the overflow chamber.
Speaking after the case Rob
Ireson, an Environment Officer involved in the
investigation said; " The level of fine imposed
in this case shows the importance of taking responsibility
for managing polluting substances to prevent them
damaging local environments. Farm effluent including
silage liquor and slurry are potentially very
harmful to our rivers and safeguards must be put
in place to prevent pollution."
In mitigation Mr Baker
for Mr Lovegrove-Fielden explained that he takes
environmental protection very seriously and he,
along with his staff made every effort to minimise
the impact of the incident once notified. Mr Lovegrove-Fielden
has invested in improvements to the effluent handling
system at Oaks Hall Farm.
Holly Smith
