AN ABANDONED plastics site has become a dumping ground for rubbish and is attracting vermin, with residents demanding to know why it has not been dealt with.

The V10 Polymers site on Paterson Street, Blackburn was bought by Isle of Man based Driftdale Ltd in November 2017, after having been hit by four fires in the space of only a few months.

Lancashire Telegraph:

The site was hit by a series of fires in 2017

The developer pledged to redevelop the site into housing, however, over three years on and the space has remained abandoned and plagued with rats and rubbish, with people living nearby also concerned about potential fire hazards.

A concerned resident, who lives adjacent to Paterson Road, said: "You wait and wait and wait and nothing seems to happen.

"I've lived in this house for 16 years and we've done it all up but when it's adjacent to the road it's impossible to sell.

"We've also been concerned that it's attracting vermin when there's families with children living along the road."

"They haven't done anything other than stockpile it into piles and they've just left them there."

The man says that he has raised the issue with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council who have looked into the issue, however a disagreement remains as to how to dispose of the many tons of plastic still stored inside.

Lancashire Telegraph:

The site has still not been developed over three years on

He said: "It's got to a ridiculous level and it's putting people off living in the area and making it harder for people here to sell their houses."

The council says that they have made the site safe and secure and that they remove fly tipping when they receive reports.

However, the authority has also said that other aspects of the site, including waste clearance are the responsibility of the Environment Agency.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We understand the frustrations of the local residents and are working to resolve the issues as soon as possible.

"We are working with the landowners of the former V10 Polymer site in Blackburn to ensure waste is cleared from the site and continue working with our partners at Blackburn with Darwen Council and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service to protect the local community and environment."

Driftdale Ltd have not responded to phone enquiries.