Piles of 'waste' allegedly dumped in grounds of mansion owned by former football boss Glenn Tamplin

OFFICIALS are investigating if the grounds of a mansion owned by a millionaire former football club boss have been used as an illegal waste dump after he moved out. The Environment Agency (EA) launched the probe after villagers complained that lorry loads of industrial waste were being dumped in the 60-acre grounds of the Essex mansion owned by former Billericay Town and Romford FC owner Glenn Tamplin. Residents claim up to eight lorry loads a day of building waste have been deposited in the grounds of the £10m home, which boasts a gym, cinema and outdoor and underground indoor swimming pools, and is named Bliss Heights after the steel magnate's wife.

There are also fears the waste could contaminate the River Roding which runs past the grounds in Abridge, near Chigwell.

Piles of what appears to be building spoil dumped around two football goal posts and a large bund at the edge of the grounds can be seen close to the river from the M11 motorway (below).

A resident, who refused to be named, said: "The lorries started arriving in November at about 7.30 am with about eight deliveries a day, sometimes more. "The traffic was caught up outside the house because of these lorries.

DUMP? The area ringed in white is where the spoil appears to have been deposited where a pond was - the goal posts had been on the pitch to the south (Google maps)

"The lorries were filled with what looked like building spoil and left empty. It could be 1,000 tonnes a week going in there and they had an industrial conveyor and a 40-foot grading machine in there.

"I want to know what it is because the grounds back on to the River Roding, which could be contaminated. From the motorway, you can see piles of the stuff near the river at the edge of the grounds."

A lorry filled with what appeared to be spoil was photographed entering the grounds (above) on December 29 before leaving empty about 15 minutes later (below). Mr Tamplin, 50, was in charge of Billericay Town from 2016 before leaving and taking over Romford FC in December 2019.

He is the registered owner of the mansion, in Abridge, near Chigwell, but it is not currently living there and there is no suggestion he is involved in the current suspected waste activity.

He said he is not involved in the activity after moving out and "renting out" the property before the alleged tipping started.

He said: "I don't live there anymore. The tenants have done this. They are being evicted." In April 2020 the former cocaine addict released a YouTube video (watch below) in which he said he was turning the home into a luxury retreat where wealthy drug users could kick their habit for £4,995 a week.

But, in May 2021 he quit Romford FC and moved to Dubai.

The waste deliveries began in November around the time that Mr Tamplin was injured during an assault at the mansion. A man aged 38 was arrested on suspicion of ABH, but later released with no further action. Residents said they reported suspected waste and planning breaches to Epping Forest District Council and the EA last November, but deliveries continued until last month after police and environmental health officers attended the site on February 24.

An Essex Police spokesman said: "Officers were there to assist environmental health."

The same day the EA wrote to residents (above) appealing for information about "suspected illegal waste activities at Bliss Heights," asking if they would be prepared to make statements. The letter said: "The EA is taking all necessary steps to investigate this matter and to stop it from continuing."

NOT INVOLVED: Glenn Tamplin

An EA spokesman said: "There is an investigation underway and we are not able to say anything else which may prejudice the investigation but will release more details in due course." Brian Rolfe, local district councillor, said: "It has been reported to me by residents, but the council officers told me they had received no direct complaints, I will be going back to them about this." An Epping Forest Council spokesman said: "We are aware of the situation, but the Environment Agency is leading the investigation."