Council workers have stepped in to clear a large amount of dumped waste from a troubled Blackburn housing development after the company behind it was fined more than £24,000.
Blackburn with Darwen Council said its teams had removed the waste from Meadowbrook Rise, off Haslingden Road, following numerous complaints from residents.
The waste had remained at the development despite Heron Homes Ltd previously being fined £24,629 after court action brought by the council.
The authority said the penalty, announced in March, was the highest ever secured by its Environmental Crime Team.
Blackburn with Darwen Council workers stepped in to clear a large amount of dumped waste from a housing development (Image: Blackburn with Darwen Council)
A judge found the company guilty of causing harm to the local area over the amount of waste dumped at the new housing development.
However, the court did not order Heron Homes to remove it, meaning it remained at the site after the case was concluded.
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The council has now used its own resources to clear the waste, which it said had become a blight on the area and was affecting people living at Meadowbrook Rise.
It stressed that the £24,629 fine was paid to the court rather than the council.
Blackburn with Darwen Council workers stepped in to clear a large amount of dumped waste from a housing development (Image: Blackburn with Darwen Council)
The authority said the prosecution was just one of a number of enforcement actions it had taken in relation to the development, with another court hearing scheduled for next week.
A council spokesperson said its powers were "very limited" because Meadowbrook Rise is a private development, but said significant council resources were continuing to be used to support residents.
They said: "We recognise that many residents at Meadowbrook Rise are in unique and challenging circumstances, and we have a duty of care to ensure their concerns are heard and that every available avenue is explored to help address the extremely unusual issues affecting them including further court action against Heron Homes."
The council said it would provide further updates when they were available.
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