Cherwell District Council is supporting the growing voices asking for a resolution to the large-scale illegal landfill on private land off the A34 in Kidlington.
Published: Wednesday, 19th November 2025
Cherwell was first alerted to illegal activity at the site in June following a complaint from a resident. Because the case is beyond the council’s jurisdiction for enforcement, it was swiftly referred to the Environment Agency which, following a site visit in July, confirmed that it would lead the investigation.
Councillor Lesley McLean, Deputy Leader of the Council, said: “We’ve never seen an environmental crime on this scale in north Oxfordshire. It is a horror show for the people of Kidlington and the wider area, and we share our residents’ anger and dismay. After a period of heavy rain, we are already seeing waste, including plastic debris, being washed into the River Cherwell.
“Cases such as this can only be resolved through a joined-up, national response with real government backing. While we are keen to support the investigation wherever possible, I want to reassure residents that the cost of this will not sit with Cherwell District Council. The Environment Agency is running this investigation and will be responsible for arranging what is set to be a massive clean-up operation. We will continue to collaborate with them and support their hard work wherever we can.”
Councillor Ian Middleton, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services, said: "This disgusting and shocking crime does not represent what Kidlington, and the surrounding villages stand for, nor who we are as a community.
“I am appalled that criminals have so brazenly taken advantage of our area to dump waste without a second thought for nature and local ecosystems. The site is part of a flood plain and as we move towards winter, we face the possibility of further contamination of the River Cherwell and wider Thames catchment.
“Those responsible for this need to be brought to justice. We understand investigating this crime is a complex process and we are supportive of the work specialist officers at the Environment Agency are doing. But months have now passed since it was first reported, and a full clean-up is now a matter of extreme urgency, beyond the remit and resources of local authorities.
“So I call on the government to work closely with the Environment Agency to ensure they have whatever they need to swiftly clear this site before worsening weather and other conditions turn this selfish and deliberate act into a wider environmental catastrophe.”
Cherwell District Council routinely investigates small cases of fly-tipping on public land. But large-scale offending, such as illegal landfills, is beyond Cherwell’s jurisdiction and falls to Oxfordshire County Council as the minerals and waste planning authority and to the Environment Agency.
Anyone with information related to this incident that could assist with the Environment Agency’s investigation can call their 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060.