Havering Council has formally identified Arnold’s Field, Launders Lane, Rainham as “contaminated land” under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 following extensive investigations.
This action paves the way for remediation and further gives effect to the Council’s commitment to protecting local residents from the ongoing blight of fires and pollution.
It follows a judicial review heard by the High Court, which overturned the Council’s initial decision last year not to identify the land as contaminated.
At the time of that previous decision, the Council emphasised that it would review the contaminated land status of Arnold’s Field as new information became available.
The High Court judgement provided new guidance about how smoke impacts should be considered under the Part 2A requirements.
Since the High Court judgement, the Council has taken time to assess the acute impacts of smoke on physical health and long-term impacts of recurrent fires and smoke on mental wellbeing, which have now been taken into account.
This is along with further data, research, and analysis made available in the intervening period.
Background and journey to the decision
Historic Issues
Dating back to the 1960s, the site has a long history of lawful sand and gravel extraction, followed by unauthorised waste dumping and failed attempts at land restoration.
Enforcement notices have been in place since 2004, but not complied with, and the site has changed ownership multiple times.
Prosecutions and fines of previous landowners have also taken place.
Recent problems
Since at least 2018, spontaneous fires have plagued the site, producing smoke that affects nearby homes, schools, and leisure facilities.
From 2022 to 2025 (to end of September) the London Fire Brigade had to attend the site on 160 different occasions to deal with officially recorded fires plus on other occasions to respond to reports of smoke or to manage “controlled burns”.
Community impact
Residents have reported significant disruption, anxiety, and health concerns due to the fires and smoke. Local schools and businesses have also been affected, with outdoor activities curtailed during smoke events.
Key evidence and reasons for the decision
Expert assessments
Multiple technical studies were evaluated or commissioned, including contamination assessments, air quality monitoring, epidemiological analysis, and health impact reviews with expert input by leading institutions such as Imperial College London, the UK Health Security Agency, and the Environment Agency.
Health risks
The site contains areas of arsenic, lead, benzo(a)pyrene, and asbestos above the levels which are considered a risk to human health if people were to be exposed to them by being on the site over longer periods.
The fires themselves cause risk to people should they enter the site.
In addition, and more significantly, the fires release harmful particulates (PM2.5), with evidence linking smoke exposure to increased GP visits for those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.
Repeated and persistent stress, regarding an issue that is out of one’s control for example, fire and resulting smoke, is also recognised to result in negative psychological and physical reactions.
Legal and statutory context
The Council is required by law to act where there is a significant possibility of significant harm (SPOSH) to human health.
The evidence, while not always clear-cut, demonstrates a strong case for intervention, especially given the ongoing fires and their impact on public health and wellbeing.
Precautionary approach
In light of uncertainty about the full extent of harm, the Council has taken a precautionary approach, recognising the fires are unlikely to cease without intervention and that continued exposure poses unacceptable risks.
Next Steps
Following this determination, legally the Council must now consult with the landowners about how to remediate the land and, if necessary, serve a remediation notice.
The Council will seek to work with the landowners (and any other liable parties) to agree a short term and longer-term remediation plan to stop the fires (and the negative impact on people’s health) as soon as possible.
If agreement cannot be reached, the Council will serve a remediation notice requiring remediation action.
However, a number of interim measures can take place.
These include steps to support the necessary surveys, technical assessments, permissions/licences and plans to deliver a solution, as quickly as possible, to stop the fires/smoke.
Getting to a short or long-term solution will depend to a large extent on how quickly and how positively the landowners respond.
The Council will continue to push for a quick solution.
Residents will be kept informed and involved throughout the remediation process, with dedicated channels (email newsletter, WhatsApp channel, and public meetings) for reporting concerns and receiving updates.
Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council, said:
"This decision marks a turning point for the community living near Launders Lane and across Rainham. For too long, residents have suffered the consequences of fires from Launders Lane.
"By formally identifying the site as contaminated land, we are sending a clear message: we will not stand by while our residents’ health and quality of life are put at risk.
"This determination will provide us with more power to be able to take real action to hold the landowner to account and to push forward with remediation of the land, and ultimately put a stop to the fires once and for all.
"Despite the repeated claims from one of the landowners that they’re trying to ‘improve the site for the local community’, the fact remains that they have not yet submitted a formal planning application, and sadly we have seen no evidence to suggest they are serious in finding a solution.
"This is a very complex situation and the judicial review created new precedents. We have obtained professional external legal advice to make sure we are following all of the correct procedures.
"Ultimately, as the landowners, preventing the fires is their responsibility to achieve. However, we have always maintained that the Council is willing to work with them to and explore funding streams to resolve the matter.
"We hope the landowners now accept this decision as any further delays will only extend the suffering of our residents and this needs to end.
"We remain absolutely committed to working productively with partners and the landowner to stop these fires and this decision will help us to resolve this issue, which has blighted the lives of residents in Rainham for way too long."
Alongside this, the Council will also look at supporting the campaign called Zane’s Law that seeks to encourage the Government to “make toxic landfills safe” by strengthening statutory requirements and providing the requisite funding for relevant authorities (including councils) to be able to address the issues.
The Leader said:
"This is an opportunity to make it easier for councils to stop situations like this blighting residents and the areas they live. Sadly, it is following the death of a child that this campaign has been launched.
"A report will go to Cabinet in November that will propose that we support this campaign and lobby the Government for change."