Site could be leaking polluted waste, meeting hears

Contaminated waste from the buried "containment cell" of a former steelworks could be leaking from the ground, according to details from a meeting between a parish council and the Environment Agency.

Gretton Parish Council met the agency in January 2025 to discuss the Rockingham Speedway site at Gretton Brook, Northamptonshire, which shut in 2018.

When Corby's steelworks were dismantled in the 1980s, millions of tonnes of contaminated waste was moved to Deene Quarry, which was later developed into the speedway.

The EA said it was working with North Northamptonshire Council "to assess any potential link between activities regulated under their environment permit... and possible contamination".

"Historically, when Anglian Water went to assess the sites at Rockingham Speedway, attenuation ponds were assessed and cleared. This suggests that groundwater levels have risen and are pushing up the historic contamination in the ground and it is leaking on to the road," the minutes from the 2025 meeting stated.

Plans to tear down the speedway's 17-year-old grandstands were previously approved to allow the site to be redeveloped.

Lee Barron, the MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, was also present at the meeting.

About half of Corby worked in the steel mills by the 1970s, but when the steelworks closed, toxic waste from the demolition process was mishandled, leading to widespread contamination.

Some children in the town were later born with birth defects, believed to have been caused by industrial pollution.

In 2009, after a long legal battle, the High Court ruled Corby Borough Council was negligent in managing the waste.

Families affected won an undisclosed financial settlement in 2010, held in trust until the children turned 18.

When speaking on Rockingham Speedway, Des Collins, the solicitor who represented Corby families during the High Court case, said: "The integrity of the containment cell was always put in some doubt.

"The cap on this cell was the speedway... not saying you can't remove the speedway without causing a problem, but there was always the potential for a problem."

Water testing carried out in Corby in November suggested the presence of metals which could pose a risk to aquatic life.

North Northamptonshire Council said there was no evidence of pollutant linkage or unacceptable risk to human health.

Tracey Taylor, whose daughter Shelby Anne died aged four days old, spent more than a decade fighting for justice over the waste mismanagement.

She was involved in the water testing and said she "always thought there were issues down there [at Rockingham Speedway]".

"When we did the water testing this was one of the hotspots... so to see a report which says it could be coming up out of the ground, it's not surprising."

"It's time the council and government started to listen to us and back us for a full public inquiry," she added.

Rob Newby, a former councillor on Gretton Parish Council, attended the meeting with the EA in January 2025 and said although the potential leak had been flagged as a concern, "nobody's picking it up and saying we need to be monitoring and investigating this".

"There are ponds of toxic waste and they are not being monitored in any way shape or form.

"It's a matter of urgency because it's not getting any cleaner and nothing is happening," he added.

Roger Braithwaite, who was the contaminated land expert witness during the High Court case in 2009, said disturbing the contaminated land would be "high-risk".

"I was very concerned that the amount of waste that had gone to Deene Quarry was far beyond its capacity. Instead of it being a landfill it was a mountain.

"I did presume that the speedway would stay there... but that's not the case," he said.

The EA said pollution in Gretton Brook comes from many sources and that it was working with North Northamptonshire Council to "assess any potential link between activities regulated under their environment permit at Deene Quarry and possible contamination".

"This work is ongoing, and we remain committed to mitigating any potential risk," it added.

The EA said water samples taken from Gretton Brook would undergo further testing.

Barron said the situation was an opportunity to "bring together authorities who manage and monitor the site".

"Reassurances were given by the EA but many people will be aware that there have been ongoing concerns.

"After receiving further concerns from constituents, a week ago I asked for an update from the EA and I am waiting for an update," he said.

"[Health Secretary] Wes Streeting is aware of the families' concerns and has been kept up to date," Barron added.

A spokesperson for North Northamptonshire Council said: "North Northamptonshire Council recognises the understandable strength of feeling amongst the residents of Corby in relation to the historical and emotive issue of contaminated land and takes environmental concerns extremely seriously."

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