Locals raise £3,000 to clear fly-tipping hotspot

Residents in Sutton have raised £3,000 to clear a long-running fly-tipping hotspot after becoming frustrated by years of illegal dumping.

Green Party campaigner Helen John previously described the strip of land next to Sutton Station as the largest fly-tip she had ever seen in the borough and during the clean-up, contractors discovered asbestos on the site.

The community-funded clearance took place on 15 July. The site had previously been used for unlawful overflow parking and the cars were removed by the council.

Local resident Tom Saunders said: "For six years we've looked out on to illegal dumping, rats, antisocial behaviour, abandoned cars and an eyesore in the heart of our community."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the land has been the subject of an ownership dispute in recent years.

Residents believe the situation has made it difficult to access the site and clear the rubbish.

The clean-up was welcomed by Andrew Devlin, who owns property on neighbouring Victoria Road.

"As a landlord, it means a great deal to have this rubbish removed," he told the LDRS.

"Potential tenants have commented on the fly-tipping and its negative implications, as well as how unsightly it is. It's been there far too long, so it's a good day."

Waste removal specialists found material that was 80% undisturbed asbestos, meaning they had to wear hazmat suits during the clean-up.

John said: "The community has come together to take practical action and should be incredibly proud of what has been achieved.

"The site is being watched, recorded and cared about, and hopefully the council will now take swifter action if problems pop up again."

Following the clean-up, Saunders said: "There are lots of smiles from people passing, saying, 'Really great to see it cleared'.

"There just seems to be no accountability anymore, does there? Good to see the community taking real action when the council doesn't."

Sutton Council said it had served a planning enforcement notice on the landowner, requiring them to clear the remaining fly-tipped waste from the site and restore the land to its former natural state.

A spokesperson said: "The council will continue to make clear to the landowner what their legal responsibilities are.

"If they fail to comply with the planning enforcement notice, the council will take the next steps in this legal process once the compliance period for the notice expires."

Failure to comply could become a criminal offence, meaning the council could then prosecute or clear the site itself and recover the costs.

The council added: "We understand and share residents' frustrations about the fly-tipping.

"This is why we served an enforcement notice to start the legal process for clearing the site and restoring the land to its previous state."

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