“It's a fire risk. All it takes is a cigarette or something to go there."
Residents in Moseley, Birmingham, have raised concerns about fly-tipping on a residential road, with rubbish reportedly left there for more than a year.
Four yellow skips, red sofas, old mattresses and bin bags have been left on Park Road after three houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) were closed.
The waste has caused concern among locals, with some residents reportedly struggling to sleep because they fear the rubbish could catch fire.
Community activist Ben Hallam warned that the materials left on site could pose a serious fire risk.
He said: “It’s a fire risk. All it takes is a cigarette or something to go there, and the whole place could go up. This is all flammable material in the skips and sofas.”
On the day Birmingham City Council was contacted about the issue, rubbish was removed from the pavement.
The local authority said it had previously removed waste from the area, although residents remained concerned about the four full skips left on private property.
Locals have reportedly spent months attempting to contact the landowner to address the situation, but their efforts have so far been unsuccessful.
The site is connected to plans to redevelop three buildings into 14 self-contained residential units.
According to Birmingham City Council’s website, a planning application to convert the buildings was submitted in July 2025 and approved in June 2026.
However, the remaining skips have continued to concern residents, who fear the waste could become a danger while the property remains empty.
In a statement, the landowner said the property was an investment held by a small family-owned company rather than a large business.
“The position with the waste is unfortunate.”
They added that the planning process had taken more than 18 months, explaining that keeping the property empty had brought no benefit to the company.
The landowner also said the lengthy process had resulted in high costs and delays.
The redevelopment plans could eventually see the three buildings transformed into 14 separate homes, although the immediate concerns surrounding the waste remain.
While rubbish was removed from the pavement after the council was contacted, the four skips on private land remained a concern for residents.
The situation has highlighted local frustration over the condition of the site and the time taken to resolve the issue.
Residents continue to seek action over the remaining waste as plans for the property’s redevelopment move forward.
