West Sussex Firms Slapped with £38k Fines for Golf Course Waste Dumping
A pair of West Sussex companies and the owners of Rusper Golf Club near Gatwick Airport have been found guilty of illegally dumping waste. The district judge slammed their actions as “reckless,” handing down £38,000 in fines.
How the Dumping Scandal Came to Light
An anonymous tip-off triggered an Environment Agency probe, uncovering nearly 700 lorry-loads of rubbish dumped at Rusper Golf Club in Newdigate, near Dorking. Investigators found a shocking mix of waste—including glass, wood, plastic, tarmac, bricks, and concrete—piled not just on the fairways but also near woods and the club car park.
The Companies Behind the Dump
- Rusper Leisure Ltd: Based in Worthing, Rusper Leisure allowed others to dump waste on the golf course. Although they had planning permission to raise an embankment to catch stray golf balls, the council’s agreement specified only clean soil was allowed.
- Cook and Son Ltd: Crawley hauliers Cook and Son, along with Bell and Sons Construction Ltd from Faygate, were caught dumping the banned waste. They paid Rusper Leisure £100 per load during the second half of 2018.
Loose Checks, Missing Permits & Chaos
Jamie Hamilton, Environment Agency’s senior environmental crime officer, warned companies must check if waste dumping is permitted. Both Cook and Son and Bell and Sons neglected to confirm legal clearance. Rusper Leisure’s secretary wrongly believed their planning permission covered waste disposal. Waste transfer notes were incomplete, with little info on what was dumped or where—breaching environmental rules.
Judge Cracks Down with Heavy Fines
- Rusper Leisure Ltd: £2,000 fine + £3,000 costs for running a waste operation without an environmental permit.
- Cook and Son Ltd: £24,000 fine + £12,500 costs for illegal waste dumping.
- Bell and Sons Construction Ltd: £12,000 fine + £8,000 costs.
- All also slapped with £170 victim surcharge fees.
The Environment Agency prosecuted Rusper Leisure Ltd under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 for failing to hold a required environmental permit.
This case sends a clear message: reckless waste dumping won’t be tolerated—especially not on a scenic golf course near Gatwick.
