The operator of a farm with a history of objections from its neighbours about unpleasant smells and animal waste run-off has committed to addressing the problems, the environment minister has said.

On November 7, Jaché Adams wrote to Robert King, the Leader of the Opposition, who had raised questions about Green Land Farm in the House of Assembly on October 30.

In a written submission, Mr King had asked the minister to provide a list of complaints about the operation in Smith’s, which was subject to a temporary suspension this summer.

He requested a breakdown of objections since October 2023 that included “noxious smells and sewage run-off”.

Mr King said there had been run-off on to neighbouring properties, along with the popular Railway Trail that abuts the farm, and said sewage run-off had even managed to reach the interior of some homes.

Formerly known as Outerlea Farm, the dairy farm is a big producer of milk for the island. It lies within Mr King’s constituency of Smith’s North (Constituency 10).

Mr Adams listed 41 complaints that had been made about the farm, owned by Paul Almeida, during the time period since his acquisition of the business.

In his letter to Mr King, which was copied to Kirk Outerbridge, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Public Works and Environment, Mr Adams wrote: “Given the number of complaints, and at the request of senator Lindsay Simmons and other stakeholders, the ministry held numerous meetings with the operators over the past several months to address the concerns.

“In addition, it is important to note that the operators have been actively working to address the situation. For instance, recent efforts to mitigate excess run-off on to the Railway Trail have included reshaping the site’s topography to better manage overflow.

“Furthermore, at the most recent meeting on November 4, the operators agreed to resolve all related issues.”

Mr Adams said the planned actions included, but were not limited to, increasing oversight of the farm’s aerated waste collection pit and ensuring regular emptying by transporting material to the Marsh Folly waste facility.

The farm owner also agreed to upgrade odour control systems to reduce unpleasant smells affecting the surroundings, and enhance perimeter monitoring to proactively prevent any potential run-off from entering adjacent areas.

Mr Adams added: “We sincerely thank the community for their continued engagement and patience as we continue to work collaboratively to implement lasting solutions.”

Of the 41 complaints listed in the letter, some of which referred to multiple issues, 21 were in relation to run-off on to the trail while 15 related to odours.

There were additional complaints including damage to a fence and the heaping of farm material against a boundary, an unsanitary swamp created on the Railway Trail and run-off diverted on to separate premises.

There were also objections over difficulty accessing the Railway Trail via Store Hill, and complaints in relation to the storage and treatment of manure, noise pollution and debris getting pushed to the side of the trail.

Of the 41 complaints, 36 were made this year, 12 of which were in April and nine of which were last month. Only one complaint has been made this month to date.

Only one complaint was recorded in all of 2024. It was made on December 6 and related to the fence damage and materials against the boundary.

The Government is seeking a contractor to help prevent waste from the farm soiling the Railway Trail.

A request for quotations, published on the government procurement website, said: “The Green Land Dairy Farm in Smith’s Parish sits on land that drains downslope into the Railway Trail and nearby residential properties.

“A contractor is required to install a series of stone barriers and soakaways north of the cowshed to capture, slow and filter run-off before it reaches the Railway Trail.”

The notice added that the objective of the project would be to stop the run-off using “simple, durable methods” that provide a cost-effective and easily maintained long-term solution.

Neighbours have long complained about unpleasant smells and waste spillage from Green Land Dairy Farm.

The Government said last month that Ministry of Health staff had met the farm’s owner to develop a plan to maintain and enhance milk quality standards.

This followed tests conducted by health officials and the issuance of a notice of temporary suspension to the farm over the quality of milk produced.

A government spokeswoman said in September: “Green Land Dairy Farm has since been confirmed to be in full compliance with all applicable health and safety regulations.”

She said the Government would continually work with the operator to ensure continued compliance and help maintain reliable food safety standards.