Fly-tipping at old station is 'abhorrent mess'

35 minutes ago

Matthew CritchellLocal Democracy reporter

News image — Locals have posted online about the piles of fly-tipped rubbish dumped outside the former station site

Thomas Magill/BBC The old station, now with broken and boarded up windows. All along the road in front of it, and around the building, is flytipping - mattresses, white goods, blankets, and all kinds of rubbish. There is a red For Sale sign in front. — Locals have posted online about the piles of fly-tipped rubbish dumped outside the former station site

A former railway station has been surrounded by huge piles of fly-tipped rubbish which local residents have branded a "disgusting eyesore."

Dumped waste has continued to pile up at the former Felsted station near Dunmow, which was on the old Braintree to Bishop's Stortford branch lie.

"I think people are angry that the council doesn't appear to be doing anything. The house was renovated to a high standard and now it's just a shell," said Braintree cyclist Aiden Kelly.

Uttlesford District Council said its priority had been to secure a "lasting" solution that avoided repeated enforcement and "significant" public cost.

Thomas Magill/BBC The old station, now with broken and boarded up windows. All along the front of it, is flytipping - mattresses, white goods, blankets, and all kinds of rubbish. — Rubbish surrounds the site, which is up for sale

Glyn Baker/Geograph The station house when it had been renovated as a private property, with black metal gates. The road outside it is totally clear of rubbish. — A photo from 2019 shows the station building after it was renovated, and before it fell into disrepair

Kelly said the previous renovation work had made the building look "great".

"Fly-tipping is a blight on the Flitch Way and surrounding areas. No one seems bothered, and it is a big issue at the moment," he added.

Aiden Kelly Fly-tipped rubbish piled up along a roadside leading to a red brick building and trees. — Dumped rubbish has continued to pile up on land at Flitch Way, by the former Felsted railway station

More than 30 residents posted online about fly-tipping around the former station, which closed in 1964.

One resident said: "It is a total disgrace that people are so lazy to spoil a site like that."

Another cyclist added: "I rode past this, and it was a complete eyesore, and it is abhorrent to see this mess.

"This is what was, and could still be, a beautiful historic building.

"It could be turned into a cafe or restaurant, a bit like Rayne station has just down the line."

Thomas Magill/BBC A close-up of the fly-tipped rubbish piled up in front of the house.

The site is now being marketed by Auction House East Anglia at £700,000.

Auction House said detailed planning permission had been granted for construction of eight homes on the site.

A spokesman for Uttlesford Council said: "The preferred approach is the sale of the site with conditions requiring it to be cleared and secured within a short time frame, with safeguards allowing the council to step in if this does not happen.

"If the sale completes, the site will be cleared within three weeks, and we will work alongside the new owners to secure it and deter further fly-tipping.

"If it does not sell, we will take direct action to clear and secure the site.

"We remain committed to resolving this matter and preventing further harm to the area."

Developer Madisons Limited declined to comment.

Do you have a story suggestion for Essex? Contact us below.

Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.