A West Belfast Councillor says more needs to be done to secure a derelict site against fly-tippers. Residents from Hamill Park on the Glen Road contacted Councillor Caoimhín Mac Giolla Mhín for help after they were wakened by the sound of a lorry dumping tons of rubbish on vacant land that backs on to their homes.
Speaking to the Andersonstown News, Councillor Mac Giolla Mhín said the wasteground has become a real problem for the families living in the area.
“Throughout the year, not only do residents have to endure problems from anti-community elements who are taking drugs and alcohol adjacent to their back gardens, but now they are being subjected to fly-tippers dumping on the other side of their garden fences.
“On a few occasions last week the same white tipper lorry dumped huge quantities of unwanted waste – telling local residents that he had permission to do so.
“As a local politician, I immediately attempted to contact the site owner telling his secretary what had been happening on the site. The owners of these sites are not doing the dumping but they have a responsibility to the people who are living adjacent to them,” he said.
“This site has become a real problem for these families, most of whom have young children. Despite several telephone calls and emails attempting to engage with the site owner they have merely responded with only token attempts to secure the site.
“These residents are sick of living beside this mess. I have contacted Belfast City Council’s Enforcement Team and asked them to get to the bottom of this issue and have the rubbish removed.
“I have suggested a meeting with local residents to the site owner on a number of occasions to make serious efforts at securing the site to offer these residents a bit of respite, especially as the brighter nights are fast approaching.”
