The Environment Agency has confirmed it has received a “notable increase” in reports recently regarding odours emanating from a Penrith industrial site.

The agency has received a spike in reports recently relating to the Omega Proteins site in Penrith, which prompted a visit to the site at the end of last month.

Omega Proteins says it is now working to rectify the cause of the issue.

The industrial site has become the focus of renewed public interest in the town, demonstrated by a rise in signatories to a petition organised by campaign group Fresh AIR for Penrith.

The petition, which calls on Eden District Council to reject any further planning applications for expansion of the industrial site, is set to be presented at the authority’s next full council meeting on September 24.

Campaigner Jeff Thomson said that the petition almost doubled its signatories last weekend, from 650 to more than 1,000.

“Eden Council is the planning authority for Omega Proteins, Wildriggs, animal rendering site and our petition calls on the council to stop giving the company any further planning approvals. Omega currently has six ‘live’ applications before the council,” he explained.

“It is clear, after last weekend, that Omega has, despite all its past claims of investment in odour reduction, not stopped odour leakages from its plant,” Mr Thomson said.

“There are no explanations and no apologies from the company, meaning it cannot be trusted with any further expansion as the risk to local people and the environment is too great.”

Mr Thomson said that the site was affecting the quality of life of residents in Penrith.

“It’s not right when residents of Penrith have to keep their doors closed, windows shut, can’t sit out in their gardens and can’t hang out washing because of an obnoxious odour in the air.

“It has been going on for too long and now is the time for the council to say ‘no’ to further site expansions.”

“The site is already too big, it is a blot on the landscape, it places too much strain on the local infrastructure, it is detrimental to the local tourism industry and jobs and interferes with residents’ enjoyment of their own properties.

“The company has shown no social responsibility to local residents or the environment.”

The petition can be found on the website 38degrees.

Early indications are that a number of potential causes were responsible for the recent spike in odour complaints, a spokesman for the Environment Agency said.

“Recently we have had a notable increase in the number of odour reports relating to the Omega Protein site.

“In response to this we are increasing the number of site inspections and are undertaking routine off site odour checks.

“Early indications are that there are a number of potential causes for this increase in reports which we are in the process of investigating and resolving with the company.

“We can confirm that during previous site inspections EA staff identified that improvements were required to ensure that the biofilters used for odour treatment work effectively.

“We have issued a notice to ensure that this issue is addressed.

“We would encourage members of the public to continue reporting odours directly to the operator in the first instance as this will enable a timely investigation.

“We will continue to investigate and will ensure that any issues identified are suitably resolved.”

A spokesman for the Leo Group, which owns and operates Omega Proteins, confirmed that work is now underway to address the issue.

“Following a site visit by the Environment Agency on August 20, when issues with our biofilter beds were noticed, work is now underway to rectify this problem in accordance with the details in the Notice, and by the required deadline of October 30.”