Our village is plagued by the stench of human waste – it’s made people physically sick

Angry villagers say a smell overwhelming their area is making people feel physically sick.

Householders in Chestfield, near Whistable in Kent, say they’ve been plagued by a ‘horrendous’ stench of human waste.

They have also reported watering eyes and trouble sleeping.

What are they claiming to be the source of the problem? Sewage being pumped from a housing estate less than a mile away.

Celena Campbell, 71, said the issue has been occurring since last year.

‘It’s absolutely horrendous,’ she added. ‘It makes your eyes water. It’s the worst possible smell you can imagine. One lady up the road was physically sick because of it.

‘I don’t complain about my mental health lightly, but to be perfectly honest, I’m at my wits’ end because you never know when it’s going to be there. It’s really terrible.’

The problem has been linked to the Oxenden Park development in Greenhill, near Herne Bay, where foul waste is pushed through underground pipes towards the wider sewer network and Swalecliffe Wastewater Treatment Works.

However, with only 41% of the 450 planned homes currently occupied, the system is not operating as intended.

Lower volumes of wastewater mean sewage can sit in pipes for longer, allowing gases to build up and escape through drains – causing the stench being reported in Chestfield.

A temporary fix had been put in place by developer Bellway, involving sewage digestion measures and regular use of treatment chemicals designed to neutralize odours within the system.

But recent access issues preventing regular maintenance, coupled with supply problems affecting those materials, have seen the smell return.

Frustrated homeowners staged a protest outside the Bellway Homes sales office at Oxenden Park on Sunday.

Among them was Mandy Friend, who said the stench also emanates from their bathrooms and is affecting day-to-day life.

‘It makes it really difficult to plan anything,’ the 59-year-old mum-of-two said.

‘You want to invite your friends over for a barbecue, but then you think, “They’re not going to want to come over if it absolutely stinks of sewage outside”.

‘You end up going through bottles and bottles of bleach, and lighting scented candles, but you can’t even open a window because it comes in from the outside too.

‘There are times that the smell is so nasty that it wakes you up at night.’

Chestfield’s Liberal Democrat councillors Dr Peter Old and James Flanagan, who joined the protest, warned about pressure on the sewage system when the scheme was approved.

Cllr Old said: ‘Rather than dealing with the problem as an emergency, [the developers] have left residents exposed to the sewage smell which is pervading the road, outdoor spaces and the inside of people’s homes.’

Cllr Flanagan added the situation highlights wider concerns about large-scale housing developments.

‘What we are experiencing today on this development will be replicated again and again until we force developers to invest in infrastructure before they are granted planning permission,’ he said.

Bellway insists the issue is temporary and linked to the system not yet running at full capacity.

Apologising for the disruption, a spokesperson said: ‘Bellway is aware of the issue raised and is working closely with our technical teams and contractors to resolve it.

‘We are taking the matter seriously and steps are already underway to address the situation as quickly as possible.’

Some living on the Oxenden Park estate itself say they have not experienced any issues inside their homes.

But one homeowner, engineer Phil Twin, said tankers had previously been used to remove waste from an on-site treatment unit when he moved in last September.

‘I know that Bellway has been working on it, and I hope they get it sorted soon for the sake of those residents affected in Chestfield, because it sounds quite unpleasant,’ he said.