Resident hits out at student aftermath
But council says majority of waste is removed
FED-UP Loughborough resident Dave Whitcroft has spoken of the problems he and his neighbours suffer living with students and the aftermath of their departure.
And to illustrate the frustration felt he has been out taking photographs in the Granville Street area of the town and has sent them to both the Echo and Charnwood Borough Council in the hope that the problems can be resolved.
In an e-mail to the Echo Mr Whitcroft said: “I have lived close to Loughborough town centre for near on 25 years now, in this once friendly community of terraced streets now deemed a ‘student area’.
“As years have passed a steady increase in student let properties has brought with it the problems associated with young inconsiderate student anti-social behaviour. Thus forcing more local residents to leave the area and hence adding more to the student house letting problems.
“It seems that at no point was the affect it would have be taken into consideration by any authorities.
“Music and shouting most nights, overflowing bins left out permanently, an inability to recycle correctly, no parking spaces, no sound proofing between terrace properties, blocked sewage pipes, electricity outages, dropped water pressure, a complete and utter disregard for the local community and surrounding area.
“These are just some of the issues facing local residents every term. These properties and the utilities are not designed for student living!
“We are now two weeks into the summer holidays with the last term now finished, landlords of properties begin their yearly maintenance before the start of the new academic year.
“Houses are gutted, fixtures and fittings piled up onto footpaths, materials dropped on roads and paths.
“I pay yearly for a parking permit but rarely can I park on the same street.
“Student properties do not pay Council Tax yet yearly they get a free rubbish amnesty where the local authorities take the majority of their waste away for free. But even then a large quantity of rubbish and waste remains, this seems to be of no concern to the landlords or local authorities. Landlords should be fined.
“I would class most of this as ‘fly tipping’ and so a fine should be issued, I am not aware that this has ever happened.
“We recently had a one tonne bag of sand left on the street for over a year, it was reported many times, the landlord was known, yet nothing was done. It was eventually moved by myself!”
A spokesperson for Charnwood Borough Council told the Echo: “We work with the university at the start of each academic term to make students aware the importance of respecting their neighbours and the wider community. We also liaise with the university and police throughout the academic year to deal with any issues reported to us around anti-social behaviour, noise and bins left out on the pavement.
“The end of term student waste blitz is an annual event in key areas of Loughborough to encourage students to recycle items they no longer need and to remove waste to ensure the area is kept clean.
“Officers have recently visited the area in question and found the majority of waste has since been removed.
“Our street management team regularly work with letting agents and landlords who are aware that any waste left in the borough will be investigated. Similarly, any reported fly-tips will be investigated and if there is enough evidence then legal action will be taken.
“We always look into issues which are reported to us and we would be happy to discuss the specific concerns raised by Mr Whitcroft directly.”