Abandoned cars, fly-tipped waste and an ownership row have plunged South London allotments near Sutton station into chaos. Residents want the barren, fly-tipped land returned to wildlife, but a tussle over ownership complicates matters.
Residents demand intervention
Residents in a quiet corner of Sutton say a long-running land dispute has turned a once-lush green space into a wasteland, now blighted by what one campaigner described as "the worst fly-tipping site I have seen in the borough." Frustrated by years of inaction, residents are demanding Sutton Council intervenes to improve the rapidly deteriorating land.
The fly-tip is wedged between Albert Road and the rail line serving nearby Sutton station. During a visit, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) found piles of waste stretching almost 200 metres along the fence line, including discarded mattresses, children's toys, fridge freezers and sealed suitcases.
"It's a constant eyesore for everyone here," said Helen John, a Sutton resident and Green Party activist working with Albert Road residents. The land's visible decline is striking given it was once allotments and green space used by residents.
Residents' concerns
Frustrated residents Tom Saunders and Andrew Devlin say they have repeatedly raised concerns. "We engage with the council about this on an almost daily basis," Tom told the LDRS. Both own properties near the site and fear the growing waste attracts pests, damages the area's appearance and potentially affects property values. Standing beside the fly-tipped land, Andrew said: "We've watched the site slowly decline since the end of the Covid pandemic."
They believe the site's location away from major roads, combined with the absence of a controlled parking zone, made it an attractive target for fly-tippers. As rubbish accumulated, the problem snowballed. Residents installed warning signs and metal barriers, and local litter-picking efforts were halted after they found what they believed to be asbestos. Sutton Council cleared 15 abandoned cars, but the land's long-term future remains unresolved due to a complex ownership dispute.
Who owns the land?
The two main parties are Czech developer Charles Stein, whose company Metropolitan Resources Limited owns the land where fly-tipping has accumulated, and William Batchelor, who owns a strip of land on Albert Road bordering Stein's site. Tom described the conflict as a "sort of war of roses over the years." Stein has owned the land since 1987 and previously submitted plans to build 27 homes, but those were withdrawn and no planning application has ever been approved.
Stein believes Batchelor acquired the adjoining land to block development. Speaking from Czechia, Stein said: "The reality is too many people are struggling for the land, and it has created a controversy." In 2020, contractors installed large concrete blocks and hardstanding, though it's unclear if Stein knew. He still hopes to develop, saying: "I feel it is better to develop the land, it is economically viable."
Residents want nature restored
After years of little progress, residents want the site cleared and improved. Following a community consultation, they reached consensus in favour of wildlife conservation over commuter parking, opposing commercial development. Tom said: "We just want allotments or anything that makes it better... it will be a win-win for the council." Helen, a landscape architect, highlighted the site's ecological potential as a nature reserve due to its chalk geology: "This is a biodiversity opportunity area."
Residents obtained a private quote of £3,000 to clear the site and urged the council to reimburse them. However, the Lib Dem-run council said it "would not normally cover the cost of removal of waste from private land when we cannot recover the costs" and raised concerns about trespassing. Helen believes the council has power to clear the site as a "statutory nuisance" posing a public health risk. She started a GoFundMe page titled "Turning Waste Into Wildlife."
Council enforcement notice
Following campaigning, the council issued a Planning Enforcement Notice to Stein, effective May 2, requiring the site to stop being used for parking and vehicle storage, remove concrete barriers, break up hardstanding and restore the site to allow nature to regenerate. Tom said: "The council are making the right noises at the moment." However, when LDRS visited in mid-June, the site remained littered with rubbish and barriers were still in place.
A Sutton Council spokesperson said: "We understand and share residents' frustrations about the continued fly-tipping on this private piece of land in Albert Road. We have visited the site several times and have seen the problems first-hand. Our officers have removed abandoned vehicles and we have now served an enforcement notice on the landowner requiring him to keep the site clear of fly-tipping. The council is determined to see these issues resolved urgently so that residents don't have to put up with the fly-tipping in Albert Road."
