Neighbours in Mitcham have been forced to pool their cash to prevent flytipping in an alleyway they do not legally own.

The alley has been used on and off as a dumping ground for rubbish and unwanted household items for the last decade.

Merton Council say the alley, between Barnard and Gaston Road and covering part of Lammas Avenue, is privately owned land but the owner died “some time ago”, leaving residents no option but to pay out themselves.

Tenants of the road have been chipping in to fund the installation of two gates at either end of the alley to block off access to fly-tippers, but plans have recently come to a standstill.

Merton Council was recently forced to clear some of the rubbish spilling out of the alleyway on to the public highway at Baker Lane. As part of an alley gating scheme it offered to pay £1,400 towards the cost of clearing the alley if residents could raise the remaining £3,000 to pay for the gate’s installation, keys, and insurance.

David Leung, 63, who lives in nearby Lammas Avenue, was collecting money from residents, but says many have not been able to shell out the £120 needed to pay for the gates.

It is believed alley gating schemes are becoming increasingly difficult to run successfully because many properties are being converted to flats or bedsits, and landlords not living on the property are less inclined to pay.

A spokesperson for Merton Council said: “We are aware this is a flytipping hot spot, however the piece of land is private and the landowner died some time ago, which has made it difficult for us to take enforcement action. We have offered to part-fund the cost of an alley gate and rubbish removal and this plan relies on the residents’ group securing the rest of the money.”

Wimbledon Times:
Helen Watson (above) lives in a house that backs onto the alley

Helen Watson, 59, who lives in Bernard Road said: “The alley must be owned by someone if it is classed as private land. The catch-22 is that the council won’t touch it because it is private land, but they will take stuff spilling onto the pavement.

“That’s not solving the problem though, as it gives more space for people to leave rubbish. It is an environmental health as well as a health and safety issue, and it is very serious now.”

Lynne De Lacy, 61, has lived in Gaston Road since 1981 and says the “enormous amount of flytipped rubbish” has “never been so bad”.

Ms De Lacy believes the stacking up of rubbish outside her house has been the cause of several break-ins in the past as well as enabling school children to set fire to her garage in the past.

She said: “It started with people dumping and leaving stuff, and it has grown. This is at least the second time we have tried to get a scheme going but couldn’t get a figure from the council.

“The rubbish constitutes vandalism and is an inherent fire, health and security hazard.

“The council do not regard themselves as responsible for that alley and we as a community need to do something to make it safer.”