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Patch of Liverpool land was 'once a lovely place' but now 'it's like a dump'

People made their feelings clear when the ECHO visited the area

[Beresford Road ]

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Residents on Beresford Road made their feelings known about the overgrown green space on the street(Image: Danny Gutmann/ Liverpool Echo)

A patch of land in Dingle which was once a beloved green space has become "overgrown" and "infested with rats", locals have said. Lying just away from Park Road, Beresford Road has one of the few remaining green spaces in that part of the city, but when the ECHO visited the street, residents told us that it has been left to decay in recent years.

William Ellis, 66, who has lived directly opposite the land on Beresford Road since 1964, told the ECHO: "God knows what's in there. Look at the length of the weeds and the grass now. It's just been left. It's just awful.

"We even had little allotments in there and stuff like that. We haven't got much going for us around here, but that makes it even worse."

[Beresford Road resident, William Ellis]

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Beresford Road resident, William Ellis(Image: Danny Gutmann/ Liverpool Echo)

Meanwhile, William Street, 78, has seen the decay of the green space first-hand in recent times. He said: "In the warm weather, it could go up in flames, like every other part of the country.

"We're getting people dumping three-piece suites and everything, it's like a dump. I think someone's cleared it now, but there's been a three-piece suite and everything being dumped in there. It's terrible. It's causing problems.

"It's an insult to the area. We're trying to bring the area up, but things like that brings the area down. It's not looking smart, it looks terrible."

However, the "overgrown" land on Beresford Road has not always been that way. Harking back to days gone by when he first moved to the area more than two decades ago, William added: "That used to be a lovely place once upon a time, because they had the horses grazing on there. And the kids would come out of school and go there, they loved it."

[Beresford Road resident, William Street]

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Beresford Road resident, William Street(Image: Danny Gutmann/ Liverpool Echo)

He explained how the nearby Park Palace Ponies riding school now uses an alternative route due to the overgrown land. He said: "Now I stand here and watch them walk down the bottom of the street instead. I see them grazing down there, when they could have been grazing in here."

Meanwhile, Joe, who lives on Beresford Road with his six children, is worried about the impact it might have on them. He said: "It's a waste of space. They should have something there for the kids, like a park.

"We've had rats in the back where the kids' toys are, the trampoline, and in the house. And then there's been a rat running up the street, and then there was one killed by a vehicle. There's rats no matter what time of day it is, I've seen them in the morning."

Another resident, Nemo, who lives just next to Beresford Road on Stonegate Drive said that the infestation of rodents has hindered her daily routine. She said: "I see them running along the street into there [the green space]. And when I walk my dog, I can hear them all scurrying."

[Beresford Road]

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Beresford Road(Image: Danny Gutmann/ Liverpool Echo)

Besides its previous uses by the horse riding school and allotment owners, another resident, Linda Noel, 71, reminisced about the land. She said: "That used to be a garden for the church at one time. It was always kept mowed lovely with little flowers growing. But the people that looked after it have passed on, and it's just gone to pot."

The ECHO has previously reported that the Florrie Community Land Trust is progressing through the council's community asset land transfer process, which would bring the land on Beresford Road into the ownership of The Florrie.

A Liverpool City Council spokesperson said: "The land by Beresford Road is not currently in use and is fenced off to prevent unauthorised access.

"We have inspected the area in relation to reports of fly-tipping and to assess any potential risks to nearby residents. While vegetation does not present a fire risk, we would remind people not to enter the site and to dispose of items responsibly. Items such as discarded cigarettes can increase the risk of fires if left in overgrown areas.

"There is no excuse for fly-tipping anywhere in the city. If people have excess rubbish or items that dont fit in household bins, these should be disposed of responsibly, not left on streets or open land. Fly-tipping can have a negative impact on local communities and may attract rats and other pests. We regularly carry out pest control measures across the city and encourage residents to report any issues so they can be assessed and addressed.

"We appreciate residents raising concerns and will always investigate potential environmental issues when they are brought to our attention. Environmental concerns, including reports of pests, can be submitted via the council website."

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