Anger at 'council's broken promise' to stop Glasgow fly-tipping

The Glasgow Times first reported on the dumping site on Cowlairs Road, Springburn in 2016, when a company charging people to uplift goods was fined.

Then, last May, we told of local Andrew Marshall's fight who said the eyesore was still growing.

In July 2023, he said he met up with council and City Property officials, who promised to step in and clean the area but nothing changed.

Andrew Marshall, Springburn resident (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

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The 46-year-old said: “They did clean up that week, they had a forklift here and removed it all.

"I was told the land was being sold and a condition of the purchase was that the new owner would have to erect a fence immediately.

“If for any reason, it fell through, the council said they would erect a fence.

“They said the site was now on their radar and it would be regularly checked, even after the barrier is erected because this is a problematic spot.

“This pile appeared about three weeks after the original commitment.

“I gave them a few weeks to react to see how long it takes them to take action so that’s been there for six months now.

“None of that happened."

The land currently belongs to City Property and it is understood it is in the process of being sold to a private buyer. 

He added: “Quite clearly, they showed no interest in keeping that promise and holding that pledge.

"It's at the point where I am feart of what I may find in there."

The resident feels let down by council and City Property, and urges them to stick to their word and put an end to the mess which is both household and industrial waste.

He added: “This is an issue that I have been dealing with for 18 years since I have lived here.

“If it was a new bit of land, I would maybe accept, but it is not.

“They had much opportunity to do something about it and it seems like they are not interested.

“That is the reality, I feel."

He admits that keeping their streets clean is the responsibility of the citizens but blames the officials for not introducing stricter measures to deter the behaviour.

Andrew said: “It’s not the council’s fault that this is happening but if they were more proactive and for example, erected a barrier or put cameras up, this would not be happening.

“You have to wonder why people think this is acceptable.

“Two weeks ago, new items were dumped and I had a look at the labels, it clearly identified who it belonged to.

“A quick search revealed that it’s a local business.

“Now, it’s probably not them, it could be a contractor but if the council upheld their commitment, this would have all been fenced off.

"They would also keep checking the area on a weekly basis and would have picked up on who this was."

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A City Property spokesperson said: “We acknowledge the disposal of the asset has taken longer than anticipated. 

"We remain committed to concluding this disposal and consider the sale to be imminent. 

"City Property will continue to manage the asset until the sale has concluded. Thereafter, the purchaser will install a fence to mitigate future fly-tipping.”

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of these incidents and we are responding.

“Fly-tipping is an environmental crime that disrupts communities and causes environmental damage.

“Anyone who drives to a back road to dump waste knows they acting illegally.

“Everyone has a responsibility to dispose of their waste appropriately, including those who use contractors to remove their unwanted material.

“Those responsible for fly-tipping are liable to face enforcement action or prosecution.”