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King's Land Hosts UK's Most Dangerous Waste Dump
28 Jan
Summary
- A 25,000-tonne illegal waste dump contaminates land near a primary school.
- The Duchy of Lancaster, owned by King Charles, partially owns the affected site.
- A 750-year-old law exempts the Duchy from a multi-million-pound clean-up bill.
A hazardous mountain of 25,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste is blighting a two-acre site in the north of England, dangerously close to a primary school. The scale of the contamination, featuring household refuse, chemicals, and plastics, has led to severe resident complaints. The Duchy of Lancaster, part of King Charles' private estate, owns approximately 30% of the affected land.
However, due to an ancient feudal legal framework dating back 750 years, the Duchy claims exemption from the responsibility and cost of cleaning the site. This exemption, based on 'escheat' law where the Duchy does not inherit liabilities of 'onerous' land, places the burden on Wigan Council. The Duchy insists that the majority of the site is owned by other parties, with the remainder being 'ownerless'.
The Duchy has stated it is open to discussing the matter with Wigan Council. This situation has prompted a criminal investigation by the Environment Agency, which is working to identify those responsible for the illegal tipping. The Council is cautious about accepting the land, as the clean-up costs are expected to far exceed its market value.
