EYESORE: Market Gardens estate resident Kate Dole looks at the water basin near her home, overgrown and littered with builders’ rubbish. Picture: Peter Weaving
RESIDENTS at a new Epsom development fear a water retention basin is a fire hazard and say the site is used to dump rubbish.
Several large polystyrene boxes were dumped or left to blow onto the site on the corner of Station and Blay streets on the weekend.
Drivers had to swerve around the boxes on the road when the Advertiser visited yesterday.
The site was littered with building waste, including plastic and cement bags, raising concerns from nearby resident Kate Dole.
“It’s not mowed, it’s unsightly and it’s disgusting,” she said.
“The houses are almost brand new but the grasses are so high you can’t walk on the footpath.
“It’s a disgusting mess.
“Considering how dry it is, someone could light up a cigarette and it would all go up in flames.”
Several developers and builders operate at the land parcel.
The City of Greater Bendigo maintains the site and services it every three or four weeks.
A fire prevention officer inspected the site before Christmas and on Friday and found nothing to warrant a fire prevention notice.
A council spokesperson said the council had no record of complaints from Ms Dole.
Another resident Rhianna Davey said she often found rubbish in her yard.
“It should have been cleared up,” she said. “It doesn’t look good.
“I know it’s under construction but it looks dirty and it probably makes the houses look like they’re not worth buying.
“It was supposed to be turned into a park.” Resident Craig Sawyer said the site was “probably not the prettiest”.
“It’s a bit of an eyesore ... I’m glad it’s not at our end of the street.”
But another resident who asked not to be named said he was “not too worried”.
“I’m sure they’ll do the right thing once it’s all developed,” he said.