Frustrated Newark resident's five month wait for Newark and Sherwood Homes to remove asbestos flytip
A frustrated resident has had limited access to his home for five months after asbestos was illegally dumped in his garden.
The issue was brought to Stephen Walls’ attention by Bob Barber, a concerned neighbour, who spotted rubble, tyres, bricks, soil and other garden rubbish being thrown into Stephen’s back garden on Staunton Road, Newark.
The flytip was hidden from Stephen because he cordoned off the end of his garden with a fence to make gardening tasks easier.
The retired widower, who lives in a Newark and Sherwood Homes council property, said a team arrived with a skip to deal with the waste, but left after discovering it contained asbestos.
Newark and Sherwood Homes, which manages homes on behalf of the district council, promised a specialist contractor would attend soon, but that never happened.
The skip has been on his drive ever since.
“Five months it has been there,” Mr Walls said.
“I have tried to speak to the council six or seven times but it gets me nowhere.
“My neighbour has emailed them as well.
“I want to know what the hold up is about?
“That skip has been real inconvenience. When I’m on mobility scooter it is in my way. It has been nothing but a big nuisance.”
A spokesman for Newark and Sherwood Homes apologised to Stephen for the delay. “During a routine maintenance operation asbestos was discovered, which had been buried in the garden by an unknown source,” they said.
“There are strict controls over the waste disposal of contaminated waste, which must be adhered to and Newark and Sherwood Homes has been working with a specialist contractor to get the asbestos waste removed.
“This work will take place on Thursday and the tenant is aware of this.
“The asbestos waste presents no risk to the tenant or the general public as it is low risk contamination, however, we apologise for the delay in getting these works completed.”
