BDW Trading, a national house builder and part of the Barratt Redrow group, has paid £201,500 to environmental charities after polluting the Ladden Brook and Tanhouse stream in Yate in July 2022. The pollution occurred when a contractor jet washed silt while cleaning and surveying land drainage at the Ladden Garden Village development, causing silt to enter the watercourses.
The Environment Agency investigated the incident, and BDW Trading acknowledged its responsibility. The company spent over £180,000 on remediation, staff training, and implementing better practices for managing surface water.
James Edees of the Environment Agency stated that while such an incident should not have happened with proper procedures, BDW Trading's response led to the acceptance of an enforcement undertaking. This agreement ensures that environmental causes receive funding and allows the agency to conclude the issue.
The enforcement undertaking includes £165,000 for the Bristol and Avon Rivers Trust for a fish recovery project, community engagement, and eDNA fish monitoring. The Tortworth Forest Centre in Gloucestershire received £11,500 for a woodland wellbeing programme and tree planting, while the Avon Wildlife Trust received £25,000 for a community ecologist.
BDW Trading also covered the Environment Agency’s costs and obtained a permit to regulate water discharges properly. An enforcement undertaking is a legally-binding voluntary agreement proposed by a business when the Environment Agency suspects an environmental offence, serving as an alternative to prosecution or a monetary penalty.