Residents Choke on Dust and Noise from Former Brickworks Site

As of 2025-10-09T06:24:21+00:00, residents living near the Saxon Pit former brickworks site in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire are dealing with a persistent problem of dust and noise generated by the facility's operations. The site, which processes incinerator bottom ash (IBA), has been a source of frustration for nearby homeowners.

Tony Ellingford, whose house backs onto the Saxon Pit, says that on dry days, there are frequent dust clouds that settle on his property. He and his neighbors have resorted to constantly hosing down their cars and window sills to try and manage the issue. Ellingford expresses concern over the potential health implications of the dust, stating, "It's very, very irritating and of course the major thing is what we're actually breathing in - what's in that is a concern."

Clive Vaughan, another local resident living opposite the site, also questions whether the IBA processing is safe, worrying that "if it's poisonous, and if it gets released into the environment, is a couple of hundred metres from our homes."

In May of this year, the Cambridgeshire County Council received a complaint that IBA from Johnsons Aggregates was being sold to East Midlands Waste Management (EMW) and processed next to an open lagoon, which discharges water into the Kings Dyke watercourse. It was later confirmed that EMW was processing waste metal without the necessary planning permission, leading the council to serve a planning contravention notice on the company.

The council is now working closely with partners, including the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Fenland District Council, and the Environment Agency, to conduct a risk assessment and determine if there are any current public health risks from the site's operations. The results of this assessment are expected to be published in the near future.