09/05/2026
The digital version of the petition has now been submitted with the following cover note...
Dear Mary,
Following your correspondence of 14th August 2025, please find a download of the aforementioned petition attached.
The petition is now prompting for a major cleanup of the entire North Sheppey Coastline between Warden Bay and Minster Leas following the industrial scale fly-tipping that was allowed to continue for over three years at two sites (Third Avenue & Manor Way) on the North Coast of the Isle of Sheppey.
The waste has now been washing out for over three years and includes large quantities of asbestos, huge quantities of shredded plastics and polystyrene, builders waste and rubble, and recently, large quantities of clinical waste in the form of virus transportation medium vials, which could potentially escalate this to a biohazard emergency. 'Disgusting' clinical waste dumped on Sheppey beaches - BBC News We shudder to think what else is contained within these dumps and is yet to wash out and plague our oceans, coastlines and wildlife.
The Environment Agency allowed this dumping to continue (between 30 and 50 lorries daily between the two sites) for several years despite numerous reports and the fact that the deposited waste would imminently wash directly into the North Sea and plague our beaches; this was after they issued several H1 licences on top of an SSSI without a single environmental impact assessment. It should have taken one week to obtain a stop order, yet for over three years the Environment Agency allowed this illegal dumping of hazardous waste to continue under the guise of "gathering evidence", making them culpable on every level, from stopping the initial dumping in a timely fashion, to recognising the threat as the environmental disaster it is, and to contain and initiate a cleanup op. As far as we're aware they've yet to do any further assessment of either of these sites.
Following the recent discovery of clinical waste the Environment Agency has yet again suggested that this is a matter for local council, however, local councils are only responsible for small scale fly-tipping (under 1 lorry load), whilst large scale fly-tipping especially where it's a major environmental hazard and emergency falls directly under the EA.
As per your letter dated 14th August 2025 you state that the Environment Agency has the power under the Environmental Permitting Regulations to undertake works to remove the risk of serious pollution to the environment or human health, again, something they've failed to pursue.
All Government departments and all public bodies are legally liable to maintain and improve SSSI's under section 28G of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and to enhance, going beyond mere protection, to proactively improve its condition where possible.
We thus call on all government agencies to acknowledge, coordinate and act, in accordance with all relevant laws and guidelines, and to carry out their statutory duties with immediate effect.
The petition can be found at www.change.org/saveoursssi and as at today’s date has a total of 32,525 signatures, which for your reference represents a figure equal to over 80% of the island’s population.
We would be most grateful if you would consider receiving us at Parliament to engage in a media ‘handover’ of the petition and perhaps have a short meeting to discuss the matter.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Jessica Newman & Daniel Hogburn on behalf of The North Sheppey Coastal Conservation and Preservation Community
Jessica Newman
Councillor
Chair of Community & Environment Committee
Minster on Sea Parish Council
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Remove the Illegally Dumped Waste from Sheppey SSSI Beach and Cliffs
