Published on 20 March 2026, the Environment Agency secured a court Restriction Order to close an illegal waste site at Units 26 and 27, Leigh Road, Haine Industrial Estate, Newington, Ramsgate. The order prohibits entry without the Agency’s written permission and follows public reports of ‘baled’ shredded waste at the location. (gov.uk)
Officers have locked the site gate, installed concrete blocks to prevent access and posted a warning notice at the entrance. Unauthorised entry or tampering with the lock or notice is a criminal offence. (gov.uk)
According to the Environment Agency, this action follows earlier Restriction Orders at Minster on the Isle of Sheppey and at Hoads Wood near Ashford, where orders remain in place to prevent renewed dumping. The Agency has previously confirmed ongoing court controls at Eastchurch and extensions to Restriction Orders where risks persist. (gov.uk)
A Restriction Order is a statutory tool introduced by the Waste Enforcement (England and Wales) Regulations 2018, which inserted sections 109A to 109N into the Environment Act 1995. Regulators may first issue a 72‑hour restriction notice to secure a site rapidly and can then seek a magistrates’ court order lasting up to six months, with scope to vary or extend. (legislation.gov.uk)
Government guidance states that ignoring a restriction notice can carry a custodial sentence of up to 51 weeks. Separately, the Ramsgate order makes clear that entering the land without reasonable excuse or written permission, or interfering with the lock or notice, is a criminal offence. (gov.uk)
For landowners and occupiers, a Restriction Order freezes activity at the site until the risks are addressed or the court discharges the order. Courts have extended these orders where necessary, as seen at Hoads Wood and Eastchurch in June 2024. (gov.uk)
The Ramsgate order coincides with the government’s Waste Crime Action Plan published on 19–20 March 2026. Defra and the Environment Agency announced an additional £45 million for enforcement over the next three financial years, new police‑style powers, a national waste‑intelligence unit, and stronger use of permit suspensions, revocations and public naming of illegal operators. (gov.uk)
Businesses and householders should review their legal duty of care under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The government’s Code of Practice advises checking that any contractor holds a valid upper‑tier waste‑carrier registration, keeping transfer notes, and ensuring waste goes to a permitted facility; the Environment Agency’s public register can be used to verify credentials. (gov.uk)
Suspected illegal tipping can be reported to the Environment Agency’s 24/7 incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. The Agency’s 10‑point operational plan also places a premium on early intelligence from the public and industry. (gov.uk)
The Environment Agency reports that in 2024/25 it stopped 743 illegal waste sites, brought 229 into regulation and, via the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, recorded 40 arrests; over the three years to March 2025 there were 211 prosecutions. The Agency says earlier interventions such as Restriction Orders are central to this approach. (engageenvironmentagency.uk.engagementhq.com)
Timeline: following public reports, the Agency visited the Ramsgate site on 4 March 2026 and then obtained the court order, publishing details on 20 March 2026. As of Saturday 21 March 2026, the Restriction Order remains in force. (gov.uk)