Letter: Stoney Castle – Agencies Must Consider Their Communications Strategy

Published on: 9 Sep, 2021
Updated on: 9 Sep, 2021

A sample of water reported to have been taken from Hodge Brook next to Stoney Castle. Image – Daniel Hill

From: Mark Bray-Parry

Spokesperson for The Green Party

In response to: There Is Another Site That Could Be the Source of Suspected Contamination

The claims made by Daniel Hill are exactly why the public needs clear communication from agencies such as Environment Agency or county and borough councils. “Orange gunk”, as Mr Hill has called it, may be simply iron oxidising in the stream; this is quite common across Surrey.

The concern was primarily due to the proximity of the stream to the Stoney Castle dump site which had been reported to have suspected toxic waste. The likelihood that this orange deposit is toxic as a result of waste that was cleared 50 years before is highly unlikely.

If this is the reason why agencies have determined the risk of hazardous substances in the stream is low and does not warrant testing it needs to be communicated to concerned residents.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Stoney Castle site represents a bigger environmental hazard to Pirbright residents than a site that has been cleared half a century ago. I suggest Mr Hill concentrates his efforts on clearing the waste on his father’s site while appropriate agencies ensure any environmental hazard is contained to the site and not impacting Pirbright residents.

Agencies (GBC, SCC, and EA) must then reflect on their communication strategy to the Pirbright community that has resulted in a very public campaign generating significant concern for public safety without any feedback from agencies.

Responses to Letter: Stoney Castle – Agencies Must Consider Their Communications Strategy

Daniel Hill Reply

September 9, 2021 at 1:19 pm

Mark Bray-Parry’s letter shows he clearly hasn’t visited the site and I’m shocked by the lack of knowledge he has on the history of illegal waste dumping at Stoney Castle.

His letter, once again, seems to be a personal attack against me. Why is he you not calling out the landowner of the old dump? Why is nobody demanding they clear the rubbish on their land. Or is it now council policy take action only if your name is “Hill”.

When he takes the time to visit Stoney Castle it will be very obvious that not only is the waste dumped in the 1970s still there rather than removed, as he wrongly suggests, but when you compare it with the waste on my father’s land it is many times greater in volume. The idea that my father’s land represents a bigger environmental hazard to Pirbright is just laughable.