Abandoned shopping trollies, armchairs and piles of rotting rubbish have been dumped in the heart of Paisley - sparking outrage among frustrated residents and business owners.
A car park in the town’s Silk Street, which is believed to be privately owned, has become a dumping hotspot for irresponsible fly-tippers, with locals calling for the “shameful” mess to be cleaned up.
The piles of rubbish have been a blight for local businesses for months, with many saying the
rundown area is becoming a magnet for antisocial behaviour.
Calls are now being made for the mess to be cleaned up, with Renfrewshire Council vowing it will clamp down on the landowner to ensure the area is cleaned up.
One disgusted resident, who works in the area, told the Express the dumped waste was beginning to attract mice and rats to the area.
He said: “It is shameful, especially to find this rubbish dumped in the heart of Paisley.
“This is an area close to Paisley Abbey and it is shocking that it has been left to get this bad.
“It’s been going on for months and months and is just getting worse and it is now attracting vermin to the area.
“The land is privately owned, but the landowner should not be allowed to let the place get as bad as it is.”
Paisley East and Central Councillor Will Mylet, whose ward covers Silk Street, called on the landowner to do the “responsible thing” and clean up the unsightly rubbish.
He added: “I would expect a responsible landowner to take care of the areas of land which they own.
“You would think that they would want the land which they own and the area to look better than what has been left here.”
The mass of dumped items also prompted calls from Paisley West and Central Community Council for the land to be monitored and the landowner to be charged if it was neglected.
John Wilby, secretary of Paisley West and Central Community Council, said: “Neglected spaces are prime targets for fly-tipping and the response and solution will depend on whether the space is privately or publicly owned.
“The problem, in town and urban areas, might be reduced if private owners and local authorities were charged with responsibility for fencing off small unused open spaces. This would, in turn, save the cost of council uplifts.
“In the meantime, we recommend that members of the public who witness fly-tipping, or who have dash cam recordings, note vehicle registration numbers and report incidents immediately to Renfrewshire Council’s Warden’s Service.”
A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “Fly-tipping is illegal, unsightly and damaging to our environment and we would encourage everyone to report it to us if they see it taking place.
“This land is privately owned, and we are contacting the landowner to ensure that it is cleared as quickly as possible.
“There is no excuse for fly-tipping, so please work together with us to protect Renfrewshire’s local environment.”
