Factory smells in Castle Cary - what I am doing on this issue

Written by David Heath MP and published in Western Gazette on Thu 24th Apr 2008

I knew that it was going to be a rather busier advice surgery than usual the moment I stepped through the door of the George at Castle Cary on Saturday. I was not disappointed. A couple of dozen local people had come to see me about what has become the issue of the day in the town; the smell which some do not appear to have a problem with, but many more do and describe as appalling, and which everyone accepts comes from the recently opened pet food factory.

It is not a new issue. I first received complaints by letters or phone calls to my office some weeks ago, and since then I've been in regular communication with the Environment Agency, whose job it is to regulate emissions from the plant, and the management of the factory. I know that the local councillor, Henry Hobhouse, has also been very much involved, and is working hard to resolve the situation. Sadly, those who came to see me on Saturday were there because in their view the position has not yet improved.

I am quite prepared to repeat in print what I told local people on Saturday, and what I've told the company previously. Although it was a decision of the local district council, quite properly, I felt at the time that the factory should have been given planning permission in order to ensure local employment. Even the most attractive town, and Castle Cary certainly is that, needs jobs to sustain its population. Despite some reservations about the detail of the consent, I still take that view, and it would be dishonest to suggest otherwise. However, the fact that I support local jobs doesn't mean to say that any factory should be entitled to damage the quality of life for local people. Certainly there was no indication, and the question was clearly put at the time, that the factory would cause an odour problem in the area at the time the application was considered.

I met with the managing director, Mr Demauge, some weeks ago, and I am sure he is entirely sincere in his determination to deal with the problem. He told me, and I accept what he says, that if he is to ensure that the best possible technology is employed to remove the unpleasant odour, then it will take time to find the most appropriate solution and to fit it. It is clear that it cannot be done overnight, but I indicated that the patience of local people is not infinite, and that there was a need for some urgency. I think the company in turn accept that is the case. They say that they want to be good neighbours. I am keen that should be the case.

The Environment Agency is key to finding a solution. They, and only they, have the necessary powers to take enforcement action if necessary. I have sometimes been critical of the Agency in the past, chiefly because I do not think that the government has ever given them the resources they need to do a very difficult and ever-expanding job. Sometimes that has resulted in an apparent lack of commitment, or a lack of continuity in their staff. But I am pleased that in this case it is clear that the Environment Agency is very much engaged, and indeed have already placed enforcement orders.

What is disappointing, given the constructive attitude which I for one had detected on the part of Mr Demauge and his colleagues and which I hope is mirrored by the parent company in France, is that the company has now decided to appeal against the enforcement notice. This move is, I know, widely resented and has been interpreted as an act of bad faith. I hope that is not the case.

What is essential, given the sharp divisions in the town that resulted from the original application, is that we don't see a re-run of that bitterness now. Those who were always against the factory are fully entitled to that view, but nobody should be trying to re-open those arguments now. It's not good for the local economy, and not fair to those who work at the plant. On the other hand, it is simply unacceptable for the town to be saddled with obnoxious smells as a result of the factory's activities. We shouldn't be talking about closing down the factory, but we undoubtedly should be talking about closing down the smell. If everyone recognises that we are more likely to make progress. We do not need a war of spin on either side of the argument.

As I often remind people, I have no magic wand. Indeed, an MP has no direct power to order anything at all. My job is to keep up the pressure on all the key players to ensure an acceptable solution is found, and the sooner the better. I worry that Castle Cary may, if we're not careful, establish a bad reputation, which is sometimes very difficult to shake off. I remember Bridgwater in the days of the old cellophane factory. Everyone in Somerset knew about the Bridgwater smell, and it was not an enviable description to have. I've said to those who are most active in the campaign on this issue that they must be very careful not to saddle the town with a tag which will damage the local community and businesses. But equally, the label won't stick if the cause is removed, and that's something the regulators and the company need to work overtime to fix.