South Norfolk Council (SNC) announced its officers were looking into who had been ditching the waste, dumped on land between a recycling centre and traveller site, last summer.
Satellite images show the vast quantities of of rubbish on the field, next to the Norwich South recycling centre and Brooks Green traveller site, appeared after June 2023.
An aerial photograph of the site taken in August 2025 (Image: Mike Page)
But so far the council has not received any evidence from the landowner, Barry Brooks, to identify who is responsible.
People living in Brooks Green, a plot of about eight pitches managed by Broadland Housing, said they did not know who was responsible, either.
Mr Brooks donated the land to create the traveller site next door in 2009 and it was named after him.
Rubbish dumped on the field between the Norwich South recycling centre and Brooks Green in Harford (Image: Supplied)
One man, who lives at Brooks Green but did not wish to be named, said he had “caught a couple of people driving down and dumping there” and said any incidents get reported to the council.
Another woman wondered if sometimes people trying to get to the Norwich South dump may end up leaving rubbish there instead.
Rubbish dumped on the field between the Norwich South recycling centre and Brooks Green in Harford (Image: Supplied)
The plot of land sits next to the A47 in Harford and is only accessible by travelling along a private road, located off Short Road.
A spokesman for SNC said: “If the landowner can supply evidence of who is responsible, we will investigate and we will work with landowners.Â
“Unfortunately, it is the landowner’s responsibility to remove the waste unless we can find those responsible.
“The council takes fly-tipping very seriously and would ask all landowners to report any incidents of fly-tipping to help us understand the nature of the activity.”
Almost 5,000 booked slots to take rubbish to Norfolk tips in the first four days of a new booking (Image: Mike Page)
A spokeswoman for Broadland Housing said it is not the landowner of the site and that it did not know who has been fly-tipping on the adjacent field.
“However, as our site is next door, we have been talking to the landowners on how we may be able to help,” she added.
Brooks Green in January 2022 (Image: Google Earth)
The Environment Agency has said the scale of the fly-tipping is not significant enough to warrant its officers’ involvement and that it was a district council issue.
Barry Brooks has been approached for comment.
Ben Goldsborough, Labour MP for South Norfolk, said he worries the authorities are “passing the buck” over who is responsible for dealing with the waste.
Labour MP Ben Goldsborough (Image: Newsquest)
He said: “Fly-tipping is a blight on our landscape, and it is local people who are left to live with the mess. Anyone involved should expect the book to be thrown at them.
“People who live near fly-tipping hotspots deserve to know the mess will be cleared quickly and properly. They should not be left chasing answers.
“Unfortunately, cases where the Environment Agency and councils pass the buck are all too familiar. That is not good enough. Authorities need to step up and take responsibility.
“I will keep pressing for action until this is sorted. Anyone affected should get in touch with me so I can make sure their voices are heard and hold the Environment Agency and South Norfolk District Council to account.”
Brooks Green in June 2023 (Image: Google Earth)
Brooks Green in August 2025 (Image: Google Earth)
Fly-tipping and illegal waste dumping is becoming an increasing concern in Norfolk.
It can be very costly for landowners, who have to pay for it to be cleared.
Critics have previously questioned whether Norfolk County Council’s decision to introduce booking slots for recycling centres and to close tips on Wednesdays could lead to an increase in fly-tipping.
Illegal waste being dumped in Norfolk is also coming from further afield.
Last week, three people were arrested after 1,200 tonnes of rubbish were found dumped on land in Stockton in South Norfolk.
Items dumped include household and commercial waste and recycling that appears to have been collected more than 100 miles (160km) away by Central Bedfordshire Council.
The Environment Agency said it was treating the incident as a “waste crime”.
The Brooks Green Gypsy and Travellers site opened in 2009. Created through a partnership between South Norfolk Council and Broadland Housing Association, it provides eight pitches rented by permanently settled families.