"Mountain" of flytipping in Eastney as pledge is made to investigate and get it cleared

Old suitcases, mattresses, furniture and black bin bags have been dumped next to bins and garages off Halliday Crescent, which has been building up - with more thoughtless people adding their rubbish to the pile instead of taking it to the tip.

Local resident David Hyde said: “Halliday Crescent in Eastney is becoming the new fly-tipping centre! The piles of rubbish are steadily increasing, along with old mattresses, household waste and settees. This seems to be the new place to dump whatever you like.”

Mr Hyde said he contacted Portsmouth City Council which he said have “eight signs along the crescent saying 'No Rubbish Dumping'” however it has said that it is dumped on private land which means it is not responsible for clearing it.

However the council has told The News that it is investigating and its SCT (Safe, Clean and Tidy) Environmental Enforcement Officers have contacted the landowner to get the site cleared.

It said that SCT can investigate and, with consent, prosecute offenders or require the landowner to clear the waste where it causes significant nuisance, but it could not comment further while an investigation is taking place.

A council spokesperson said: "Staff working on behalf of the council are out every day keeping the city's parks, green spaces, streets and roads clean, safe & tidy. Where there is an issue on privately owned land, the owner of that land would be responsible for resolving it.”

However they added that the council “would like to encourage all residents to report incidents like this to us”.

They said: “We ask that residents report street issues like fly-tipping to the council to help us keep the city clean and safe. The easiest way to do this is using the free My Portsmouth app or alternatively concerns can be reported on our website: www.portsmouth.gov.uk/all-tasks/report/”.

Household items not taken in doorstep rubbish collections should be disposed of at the Paulsgrove Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) in Port Solent. For more details visit www.portsmouth.gov.uk/services/recycling-and-rubbish/guide-to-waste-in-portsmouth/portsmouth-hwrc/