Fly-tipping in Reading area solved by new play park

Lulworth Road is a looped residential street in Whitley near the Christ the King Catholic church and primary school.

The rear of the loop used to be a hotspot for people dumping rubbish, both on foot from Blandford Road and from vehicles.

But now fly-tipping in the area is being deterred after a novel idea to place a new play area in the way of offenders by Reading Borough Council.

The opening of the play park has been celebrated by councillor Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley) who represents the area.

Cllr Leng said: “There was a massive, huge fly-tipping problem with round by the communal bin.

“They were coming up from other areas in cars and vans, dumping their rubbish, and they coming up from the alley in Blanford Road as well, we just couldn’t stop it.

“We were monitoring it, general fly-tipping. This wasn’t domestic waste, this was builders’ waste, just criminality almost, I would do it on.

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“The residents were getting frustrated because people were thinking they were doing it and it’s not, there were thoughts about putting cameras up.

“But then council officers suggested ‘Why don’t we put physical barriers up coming from the alley?’

“We looked at putting a play area in there. It was said ‘You can’t put a play area up next to a dustbin area, it won’t work.’

“Then they went away and said ‘It can work’.”

A separate path was established between the bin store and the new play park, with the play park being ‘strategically located’ to be in the way of the alley.

Cllr Leng explained: “If anyone comes up with rubbish they have to walk around the play park to the front to get to the bin store, whereas normally they could dump it round the back, now they can’t.”

The play area features a wooden climbing frame with a slide, interactive noughts and crossing board and more.

It was opened on Thursday, July 20.

Cllr Leng said: “The kids were all over it, it was really good, I was so chuffed.”

The new play area Lulworth Road, Whitley. Credit: Cllr Micky Leng

He added that an art mural will also be coming to Lulworth Road in the near future.

The play area and other improvements were established by the council using £130,000 from community infrastructure levy (CIL), which is paid by developers to the council to invest in neighbourhood improvements.

A council spokesperson said: “Work is completed on the play facilities and now open to the public.

“We are working with an artist to further improve the aesthetics of the area and look forward to sharing more details on the art installation as soon as we can.

“Fly-tipping was previously a problem in the area around the bin stores but early anecdotal evidence suggests that has improved. We will of course continue to monitor the area.

“Work has also included improved access to the Lulworth Road bin store to deter fly-tipping with new paths to the rear and front.”