'Walking Dead' fly tipping spot on Birmingham street finally fenced off, but locals still cautious

The fly tipping spot at the end of Haseley Road was a mountain of sofas, fridges and waste

A fly tipping spot that made locals ashamed of inviting friends over has finally been fenced off according to Birmingham City Council. The spot, on the corner of Boulton Road and Haseley Road, was a graveyard of sofas, gutted fridges and waste that attracted rats and mice.

Despite residents and business owners complaining for years to the authority, the body claimed it was privately-owned land and it could not take action. But city environment boss Coun Majid Mahmood posted an update on September 18, that new owners had cleared and boarded up the land.

The X post read: "As a result of direct action by our brilliant Birmingham City Council waste enforcement team, the new owners of private land at Haseley Road in the Soho and Jewellery Quarter ward that was subject to repeated fly-tipping have cleared and fenced off the land.

"We very much appreciate the cooperation of the new owners as soon as they became aware of the problem; it shows what can be done when we all work together."

https://x.com/CllrMajid/status/1836345965642485856

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Birmingham Live first visited the spot last December but a follow-up visit eight months later, on August 15, showed nothing had changed. Residents complained over the horrendous smell while a beauty salon next to the mound, Riya's Beautonic Lounge, claimed customers had walked out because of it.

Some also alleged drug users used the spot turning it into 'The Walking Dead'. Birmingham Live was unable to track down the previous land owners and it was unknown who the new land owners are.

Muktar Singh, 55, is the owner of Signature Supplies whose factory is just behind the fly-tipping site. He complained frequently about the site and moved away from the area because of it.

On the area being fenced off he said: "We are relieved and the neighbours are happy, but I don't think the problem is completely solved as there are already a couple of bin bags outside the fence. It is the community unfortunately but there are CCTV cameras outside so we will see."

The spot is a minute away from the glittering bridal dress shops and chai cafes of Soho Road. Fly-tipping carries fines of up to £50,000 or imprisonment, on privately owned land the council can serve a legal notice instructing people to clear rubbish that attracts vermin.