Squabb Wood landfill restoration could reduce flooding, plans say

New plans have been put forward by Valencia Waste Management Limited to restore the Squabb Wood landfill site in Salisbury Road, Romsey.

If approved, the scheme would see the area restored over the next six years with the creation of new grassland, heathland, woodland, and scrub, as well as a series of ponds and wetland areas.

The site covers an area of around 48.5 hectares and is divided into three sub-sites, known as Shootash, Squabb Wood and Embley.

In 2006, planning permission was granted to extract clay from landfill engineering and to deepen and extend the landfill void.

Squabb Wood Landfill in Salisbury Road, Romsey.

All extractions and landfilling works were completed in 2017 with the previous operator, Viridor, partially restoring the area.

The new application says around 290,000m3 of inert fill material will be imported, usually material such as soil and stones, to recover the landscape at the site and improve drainage and flooding.

The importation of material is expected to be completed within six years.

It adds that the restoration would deliver “significant long-term environmental benefits,” including landscape, ecology, and land management enhancements through the use of inert fill material and an extensive planting scheme.

The Squabb Wood’s existing contours will be reprofiled to alleviate surface water management issues and around 188,000m3 of soil will be brought to the Squabb Wood part of the site.

The office building, other infrastructure and car park will still be retained.

Areas of woodland and scrub would be planted at the periphery of the area to facilitate the interconnecting habitats throughout the wider site.

Works at Shootash and Embley are also proposed to fill a hollow and to amend the eastern field area at the Embley area to encourage surface water drainage to the fringes of the area by creating a gentle dome in the centre.