Landowner faces severe penalties after authorities uncover disturbing scheme: 'A big red flag'

A British landowner faces hefty fines after turning a protected nature reserve into an illegal dumping ground, according to Cornwall Live.

Martin McAnulty must pay £15,000 (approximately $19,000) in penalties, plus £14,032 in costs, after admitting to three environmental violations at the Mid-Cornwall Moors Site of Special Scientific Interest.

This protected zone near St. Dennis houses the Cornish eyebright flower and marsh fritillary butterfly, both uncommon species.

McAnulty arranged for truckloads of contaminated material to arrive at the site. The refuse included high levels of sulfur compounds, along with wooden debris, plastic fragments, and bits of metal. Investigators found the dumping elevated the ground roughly six feet above neighboring untouched land. Woodland areas lost trees to make room for the incoming waste.

When natural spaces get buried under toxic refuse, whether intentional or through accidents, local wildlife loses breeding grounds and food sources. People in surrounding areas also suffer when these ecosystems disappear, losing the birds and insects that eat crop-damaging pests, along with the plant and animal diversity in their backyards.

McAnulty told authorities he believed his work qualified under a landscaping exemption and would benefit wildlife, but environmental investigators disagreed. He had registered for an exemption permitting limited construction debris use but brought in far more material than allowed, with pollution levels that broke environmental rules.

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The court told McAnulty to clear out all refuse and restore the original wetland forest and meadow conditions by January 2027. Missing that deadline means unlimited extra fines plus £100 daily until he finishes. He's cleared roughly 246 tonnes already (around 271 tons), but surveys show at least 6,788 cubic meters of refuse sitting across 6,700 square meters of protected terrain.

District Judge Smith noted the severity of the situation, saying: "McAnulty was aware of the SSSI but failed to have oversight of the waste importation operations. The SSSI should have been a big red flag. There is the potential to destroy the site if restoration is not successful."

If you own land, check whether it contains protected habitats by contacting your local environmental agency. Understanding which areas need safeguarding helps prevent accidental damage to ecosystems that provide clean air and water for everyone.

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