Relief as infamous Brierley Hill rubbish mountain to be cleared
Residents who have lived in the shadow of a huge pile of rubbish for six years today told of their relief that it was finally set to be cleared.
People living on Moor Street and surrounding roads in Brierley Hill have been greeted with the site of the ugly pile of waste when looking out of their bedroom windows.
It has been there for so long that it has become overgrown with grass and weeds growing from it, though the rags, bricks, plastic and wood can still be seen poking through the vegetation.
The mountain of waste on the former Refuse Derived Limited site has become part of the landscape on Moor Street and as luxury housing developments have sprung up around it just outside Brierley Hill town centre, it has proved to be unmovable, despite the contempt in which it is held locally.
Many neighbours wondered if they would ever see the day it would be removed.
But that day was brought closer on Monday night when Dudley Council approved plans that would see the trash cleared and plush accommodation built in its place.
Bosses said the development of 94 flats would bring to an end the 'heartache, misery and stress' for people living nearby.
Cynthia and Norman Jones live just a few metres away from the eyesore on Moor Street and have long called for action to be taken over the land.
The couple contacted the council, the Environment Agency and their local MP in their search for answers.
They said they were relieved a solution had finally been found.
Mrs Jones said: "We are pleased. It has taken a long time to get to this point. I rang the Environment Agency, and they did keep me updated, but it's very frustrating that it has taken such a long time.
"The council has done its best to improve the state of affairs. I'm really surprised developers considered building houses up there and that people started buying them. Things are getting better now."
Jill Woollams, aged 63, lives in nearby North Street, part of the new development which has been constructed since the turn of the century, and also incorporates the town's former Royal Glassworks which has been converted into homes.
She said: "If they are going to clear it then that's great."
