Residents' anger over dumping and 'Lover's Lane' antics at Ravenscraig

Apr 14 2011 by Leona Greenan, Hamilton Advertiser

RESIDENTS at a showpiece Motherwell housing estate have hit out at law-breaking fly-tippers.

Home owners at the Phoenix Park estate, on the site of the new Ravenscraig development, are angry the adjacent Plantation Road is being used to ditch unwanted goods.

Residents say the road is strewn is with litter and refuse.

Just last weekend over 100 tyres were dumped there.

And, they claim, dog walkers let their animals foul at the spot too.

Gemma Fallenstein and her husband John were one of the first families to purchase a house at Hoy Gardens in Phoenix Park.

The couple are thoroughly disgusted by the fly-tippers’ disregard for residents.

Mrs Fallenstein said: “Plantation Road is an absolute mess with rubbish and dog foul everywhere. We awoke at the weekend to find over 100 tyres dumped on the land. An articulated lorry must have been up overnight to ditch that load.

“This is a brand new housing scheme and people have paid a lot of money to move here. You would expect it to be lovely, yet we look out on to a dumping ground. It angers us more now our council tax bill has arrived. We see what we’ll be paying living in a new-build area, when the truth is Plantation Road is a disgrace.

“It has even been dubbed ‘Lovers Lane’ with cars pulling up at all times throughout the day and night. People get out of one car and into another and who knows what is going on.

“A few weeks back we went out for a walk and came across a pair of men’s trousers. It’s certainly not pleasant to go out for a walk down Plantation Road and it’s actually quite embarrassing when people come to visit.

“I’ve questioned if we did the right thing by moving here.”

Mrs Fallenstein has complained to North Lanarkshire Council over rubbish dumping on the land, which she believes is owned by David Wilson Homes under Barratt Homes.

She added: “I’ve spoken with my neighbours and they can’t believe the mess on Plantation Road. It really angers us.

“I contacted North Lanarkshire Council to complain and ask who would be responsible for the clean up – them or David Wilson/Barratt Homes. One of the site managers thinks it lies with the local authority, but whoever it is something has to be done.”

A spokeswoman for David Wilson Homes said: “The responsibility for the clean-up really depends on the exact location.

“We will carry out an investigation into the fly-tipping and if it falls under David Wilson Homes’ remit, then we will act quickly to carry out the clean-up.”

A spokesperson for the council said: “There is absolutely no need for anyone to fly-tip.

“The council have a zero tolerance approach to fly-tippers. Our environmental wardens are tasked with investigating fly-tipping incidents and identifying those responsible with the intention of court action and prosecution.

“In addition, a range of measures have been put in place to detect people who fly-tip, including the use of CCTV surveillance cameras at fly-tipping hot spots, boulders and bollards being used to block off access to areas subject to persistent fly tipping, and regular monitoring of businesses to ensure they dispose of their waste in the proper manner. Residents can help by reporting fly-tipping, or those they know are doing it, to their local police office or to our customer contact centre on 01698 403110.”