King’s private estate owns part of Wigan site that has become ‘UK’s worst illegal waste dump’
Part of the land, dubbed the UK’s “worst illegal waste dump”, is owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, the King’s vast portfolio of private estates and estates.
The landfill in Bickershaw, Wigan, is part of the UK’s growing illegal dumping crisis.
But the Duchy said it was exempt from clearing the site due to the outdated feudal legal framework dating back more than 700 years, according to an investigation by Channel 4 News.
The broadcaster claimed that the Duchy had handed over responsibility for cleaning by offering it to Wigan Council.
But the refusal to take proactive action goes against the Environment Agency’s guidance that landowners are responsible for clearing waste on their own property, and the agency has launched a criminal investigation.
The duchy said it did not legally assume any liability for inherited properties, a term used for abandoned or derelict properties.
He said he offered to transfer the land to Wigan Council and work with them to resolve the issue. A spokesman for the duchy said the majority of the site was owned by other parties.
In July, it took firefighters 10 days to extinguish a fire at the landfill that had been slowly accumulating waste for several months. The “toxic” fire caused nearby businesses to close and children to miss school for several days.
Makerfield MP Josh Simons described the waste site as a “shocking government failure” following the fire.
“I’ve been struggling with this problem in my district for a year. Primary school children couldn’t go to school because toxic waste was thrown into the fire,” he said in a post on X in December.
Under the law of inheritance, when freehold land becomes ownerless, it reverts to the Crown as the ultimate owner of all land.
In the historical County Palatine of Lancaster, in the north-west of England, the assets of people who died without a will or relatives are collected by the Duchy of Lancaster. This also includes assets of dissolved companies.
However, if the property, such as the Wigan site, is considered to be ‘economically burdensome’ under inheritance law, the Duchy is not required to inherit any liability for the property.
As a result, the Environment Agency’s powers are limited unless the Duchy decides to take action.
“Waste crime is scarring our communities and we are committed to tackling this problem in Wigan, alongside the local council and police across the country,” an Environment Agency spokesperson said.
“We are doing everything we can to manage the site at Bickershaw and identify the perpetrators, including launching a major criminal investigation and interviewing watchful individuals.”
A Wigan Council spokesman said: “This illegal dump site has had, and continues to have, a daily impact on residents living nearby and at the primary school on the border.
“Local authorities have an obligation to provide best value for residents, so the council needs to consider the terms of any arrangement offered by the Duchy of Lancaster as the value of the land is unlikely to exceed the cost of the clean-up.
“As one of the affected landowners, we are working to clean up our land and continue to implore all other affected landowners to take the necessary steps to meet their obligations.”
A spokesman for the Duchy of Lancaster said: “It is incorrect to say that the illegal dump site at Bickershaw, near Wigan, is on land largely owned by the Duchy of Lancaster.
“Approximately 70% of the illegal tipping area is owned by other parties. The minority was transferred from the previous owner to the Duchy in July 2025 under a process known as inheritance.
“At this point the Duchy has contacted Wigan Council to find a solution and we are fully committed to working with the local community and relevant agencies to resolve this issue and counter the impacts of illegal waste dumping.”
