Regular readers of these pages will be well aware that for some time I’ve been pressing the authorities to do whatever they can to coerce the owner of the abandoned patch of land in Middle Street to either keep it tidy or secure it against trespass. This follows several complaints received over the months and years from residents, businesses and visitors alike that the land is an eyesore and is attracting fly-tipping - with obvious consequences.
Background details can be found in the following articles (each one contains additional links to past articles on this site)
Saturday 14 January 2023 https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2023/01/round-up-of-local-issues-14-january-2023.html and
Monday 5 December 2022 https://robcrute-blackhall.blogspot.com/2022/12/derelict-private-land-on-middle-street.html
Despite a long-running tussle with the appropriate authorities, officers in the planning enforcement team insist they have no powers to direct the owner of the land to comply with its request to have it cleared and made safe. This is the latest update received last week:
Good afternoon Rob
Further to your recent query regarding the subject land, unfortunately the state of the land does not warrant Section 215 action. The local planning authority has no powers in relation to fly-tipping and therefore you may wish to contact the council’s fly-tipping team direct regarding this matter.
In addition, we are unable to insist that the landowner encloses the land to the rear. However, as a duty of care, I have written to the land owner requesting that he makes improvements to the site and also advised that he erect some form of boundary enclosure in attempt to eradicate future fly-tipping, subject to planning legislation.
As you have received reports of vermin on the land, I referred this aspect to Environmental Health colleagues to investigate, however they have referred the matter to Customer Services for Pest Control to investigate.
In response I have now had to change the direction of the campaign by writing to the public protection department at county hall with a request they do whatever they can to bring this abandoned land back up to a decent standard.
Longer-term readers of these pages will recall that a few years ago, following a time-limited, targeted campaign by the council’s Community Action Team the land was cleared and the side facing the library was made secure with new fencing. The open land on the other side - edging on to the public footpath on Middle Street - was also made secure against it falling into the street. This shows what can be achieved when private land owners - and the public authorities where necessary - work together to carry out improvements in our villages.
However, through wilful neglect all that good work from a few years ago has been undone, leaving the land once again a public eyesore and a topic of conversation for local residents and visitors coming into our village.
My opinion and my intentions are both straight forward. If the land was secure against trespass just a few years ago it can be brought back up to a decent standard today. All it needs is local determination to put things right, alongside the goodwill of the landowner and the authorities working together to make this happen.
I’ll continue to press for as long as it takes to bring this land back up to standard our residents and businesses deserve.