Kent Village Residents Suffer Physical Illness from Sewage Stench
Angry villagers in Chestfield, near Whistable in Kent, are reporting a persistent and overwhelming stench of human waste that is making people physically sick. Householders describe the odor as "horrendous," with symptoms including watering eyes and trouble sleeping. The source of the problem is believed to be sewage being pumped from the Oxenden Park housing development, located less than a mile away.
Health Impacts and Community Outrage
Celena Campbell, a 71-year-old resident, stated that the issue has been ongoing since last year. "It's absolutely horrendous," she said. "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." Campbell added that the uncertainty of when the smell will appear has taken a toll on her mental health, leaving her "at my wits' end."
Frustrated homeowners staged a protest outside the Bellway Homes sales office at Oxenden Park on Sunday. Mandy Friend, a 59-year-old mother of two, explained that the stench emanates from bathrooms and affects daily life. "It makes it really difficult to plan anything," she 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.'"
Friend described efforts to mask the odor, such as using bleach and scented candles, but noted that opening windows is impossible because the smell infiltrates from outside. "There are times that the smell is so nasty that it wakes you up at night," she added.
Infrastructure Failures and Developer Response
The problem is linked to the Oxenden Park development in Greenhill, near Herne Bay, where foul waste is pushed through underground pipes toward the 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 cause sewage to stagnate in pipes, allowing gases to build up and escape through drains, resulting in the stench reported in Chestfield.
A temporary fix by developer Bellway involved sewage digestion measures and regular use of treatment chemicals to neutralize odors. But recent access issues preventing maintenance and supply problems with materials have led to the smell's return.
Bellway insists the issue is temporary and related to the system not running at full capacity. A spokesperson apologized for the disruption, saying, "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."
Political Concerns and Wider Implications
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 criticized the developers for not treating the problem as an emergency, leaving residents exposed to the smell both outdoors and inside their homes.
Cllr Flanagan highlighted broader 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.
Some residents on the Oxenden Park estate claim they have not experienced issues inside their homes. However, engineer Phil Twin, a homeowner, noted that tankers were 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.
