Council clears long-standing rubbish pile at vacant house

Richard Youle, Local Democracy Reporter 

A council has removed piles of rubbish from the driveway of a vacant house following complaints from neighbours.

Flatbed vans were outside the property in Gorseinon on December 8 – one already full to the brim – and an abandoned caravan was in the process of being dismantled.

People living nearby said they were glad to see them. One neighbour said the contractors started their work on Friday, December ,5 and that she made a point of thanking of them.

She added that a man who she believed to be the prospective buyer of the Frampton Road house had also come along and taken some items away and tried to make it look neater.

“We are overjoyed,” said the neighbour, who asked not to be named. “It was weighing on our minds. We had more flies over the last year and a half and saw the odd rat.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service published a story about the piled-up rubbish, including mattresses and suspected gas cylinders, just over a fortnight ago. Frustrated neighbours at the time claimed the council had said the rubbish would be cleared in the summer and, when that didn’t happen, by the end of October. The council said it had instructed the owner of the house to clear the waste, issued enforcement notices and that it would take steps to remove it and seek to recover costs.

Speaking on December 8 the neighbour said she felt the media coverage had spurred the council to act faster.

Cllr Nicola Matthews, who represents the area, also thanked the contractors and said their efforts were appreciated. “I am delighted to see the rubbish is finally being cleared and I am grateful to residents for raising this with me and for their patience as we worked to get this resolved,” she said.

The detached house is currently vacant and a person who formerly lived there said in November that it was going through probate – a legal process under which a deceased individual’s estate is managed. The person said this process had been ongoing for nearly a year and when it was concluded the rubbish would be removed straight away and the house sold.

Another neighbour said she was pleased the rubbish, which includes items stashed behind a side gate, was being cleared. “It was definitely an eyesore,” she said. “It’s looking a lot better.”
The council also reminded residents that it offers a paid bulky waste collection service for household items: one to three items cost £24, or four to six items cost £48.