A pressing immersive radiophonic journey sharing the personal accounts of those living next to Walley’s Quarry Landfill in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, which was run by Red Industries who breached its permit over 111 times and caught fire shortly before I interviewed the community for this documentary.
Listen to the full documentary as stereo mix future mixes will include dolby atmos and binaural.
“This work gives a voice to some of the many people and communities directly affected by landfills built far too close to homes and allows the audience to experience what it’s like to be gassed in your home on a daily basis.”
After over a decade of complaints from local people and members of action group Stop the Stink, Walleys Quarry and its toxic legacy lives on. Unfortunately, it’s the tip of the iceberg for a growing national scandal caused by current legislation, regulation and management of landfill in the UK and the legacy of the air and water pollution left behind by such sites.
In Oct 2024 it was found emissions of hydrogen sulphide emitted from the Walleys Quarry landfill had been under recorded by the UK Enivromental Agency, between 2016 and 2023. Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council took legal action against the firm and finally the EA took action to close the site in Nov 2024, Red Industries attempted to appeal but went into liqudation. The site was finally closed in 2025, whilst the stench continues to linger as the council was left to cap it off and deal with the toxic mess whilst the sites ownership has been handed to the Crown Estate.
Magz Hall became aware of this growing national scandal after experiencing the stench from Shelford landfill Canterbury during lockdown, it led her to research this site and others which she will document in the future.
Artist Producer interviews and field recording Magz Hall
Music Mieko Shimizu
Engineer Gavin Roberts
Bio acoustics from the Radio Air Garden
Visuals from Mark Dizco for trailer and visual protoype test.
This immersive doc was supported by Screen South funded by ACE and UK Gov. I was selected as a showcase artist which allowed me to complete the project.
This first immerisve version of the work was aired at the WinterSound Festival Jan 17th- 18th at the Daphne Oram Gallery Canterbury Christ Church University. Via Screen Souths 16 speaker 14.1 channel rig.
A stereo version was broadcast and streamed on Radiophrenia, Resonance FM and Extra April 18th 2025. It was featured as part of Art Spring Festival Berlin in May https://theateruntermdach-berlin.de/
Full Rig version exhibited at Reveal Screen South Showcase Sept 2025 (photos above of audience in rig).
https://screensouth.org/events/reveal/
Magz Hall 
You must be logged in to post a comment.