Hopes rise of clear-up at ‘disgraceful’ Purley Way fly-tip
The site of a former gym in Croydon’s Purley Way has been blighted by rubbish since 2022. The owner of the site has said plans are being made to clean up the mess.
The site, which sits at the south end of the famous commercial thoroughfare, has attracted derision and disgust from Croydon residents, who can view the mess from the roadside.
The site’s low and damaged fence means fly tippers are granted easy access to dispose of everything from mattresses and chairs, to Wendy houses and children’s toys.
The site, at 33 Imperial Way, was inhabited by a Sports Direct gym in the summer of 2022. However, since the gym’s closure, the site has become overrun with mountains of illegal waste, which people can readily add to, owing to its position next to a layby.
According to residents, the site’s position next to the Croydon Aerodrome memorial to the Battle of Britain and large playing fields only accentuate the site’s unsightly presence in the area.
One pedestrian, who was walking to the nearby Costco, described it as: “….a stain on Croydon.”
However, a potential breakthrough could be in sight as the owners of the site have promised to take action.
The Purley-registered Spark Properties LTD has promised the vacant plot, which was bought for £1m in January 2021, is in the process of being sold, and has a range of interest from potential buyers.
Despite this recent sign of progress, Waddon councillors Rowenna Davies and Ellily Ponnuthurai say they have been ‘fighting for over a year to get it sorted.’ They said: “This fly-tip is a dangerous and unsightly mess in our community that urgently needs clearing. “
The freeholder has also expressed anger at illegal fly-tippers, and say they’re finalising a deal with new leaseholders that will see the fly-tip cleared in a matter of weeks.
“We’ll do everything we can to support this horrific eyesore being cleared as fast as possible,” they said. “Every second that mess remains there, a child could get in and seriously hurt themselves.
“Fly-tipping remains a disgusting problem in Croydon as a whole. We need cheaper and easier ways for people to get rid of rubbish and robust enforcement action to catch and prosecute offenders.
“An irresponsible minority should not be allowed to get away with inflicting their garbage on the rest of us.”
Croydon Council was approached for comment on the issue.
Pictured: The unsightly mess at the former Sports Direct Gym site (Picture: LDRS)