Fly-tipping hot spot in Darwen causing problems ‘time and time again'

The site of the former Highfield Working Mens Club in Ratcliffe Street has been derelict since it shut in 2012 and has experienced consistent problems with vandalism and fly-tipping.

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Recently, asbestos waste was dumped and resident Angus Moncrieff said he had saw kids running around it.

This waste has now been cleared by Ainsworth Lord Estates, which is managing the site, but Mr Moncrieff said this took three weeks to get sorted and that there is still rubbish, including a car with a bin inside, dumped at the site.

He said: “I’m grateful that the asbestos waste has been cleared but I complained about it three weeks ago. Plus, there is still rubbish strewn all over the place. I saw kids running around the asbestos waste which is obviously extremely dangerous. People around here have had it to be honest. It’s just got to be sorted out.

“It really is a dump and the more people do it the more it’s going to be seen as acceptable and it’s not. It just keeps happening time and time again and it will do until someone develops the site.”

Site owner Jennings and Gilchreaste Ltd was given planning permission to develop eight new houses on the site at the end of last year and it is still up for sale.

The club, which was set on fire by arsonists in 2013, suffered a steady decline since the mid-1960s. In its heyday the club had a membership of more than 500, with snooker and darts teams and a packed concert hall.

Cllr Jane Oates, assistant executive member for environment for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said she was seeking to get the issue sorted.

She said: “Our fly-tipping team is aware of the problem and we are in the process of writing to the owner to ask them to clear the site. Hopefully this will happen soon.”

A spokeswoman for Ainsworth Lord Estates, said: “Action will be taken to clear the remainder of this waste by our maintenance team. We have faced this problem many times and it’s a real shame.”