Seaside town steps up battle over illegal waste dumping

A COUNCIL task group is set to meet next week after more than 2,000 tons of building waste was dumped at an abandoned caravan park in a North Yorkshire seaside resort.

Building contractors and agencies in Scarborough will be held to account by the group which was set up following an incident last summer which saw homeowners blighted by hundreds of lorries and clouds of dust after waste from a Yorkshire Coast Homes redevelopment was deposited at the nearby Rosevale Caravan Park without permission.

Night-shift workers also complained they were unable to sleep during the day and residents expressed fears over their health.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Although Scarborough Borough Council’s planning enforcement team brought the problem under control and the rubble was eventually removed, residents were still left with questions about how and why it could have happened and have demanded assurances that it will not happen again. Now, under a measure known as a Councillor Call for Action, initiated by ward member Coun John Ritchie, a task group has been set up via the council’s Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee.

One of its first duties will be to hold a public meeting next Wednesday - with residents, Yorkshire Coast Homes and its contractors and sub-contractors, and council officials invited to take part.

Coun Ritchie, who is chairing the task group, said: “In my view there was a very serious breach of planning rules and residents living near the site were put out a great deal. They want to know how this could have happened.

“The task group will try and come up with positive recommendations so that lessons can be learned in order to try and prevent this kind of incident occurring again anywhere in the borough.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I hope as many people as possible will take the opportunity to come along to the meeting and see how the scrutiny function of the council can work for the benefit of residents.”

Following the meeting, a report from the task group will be drawn up and put before the scrutiny committee for wider discussion.

The meeting takes place at St James’ Church, Falsgrave, from 9.30am and is expected to continue until 2pm.