Residents in Glasgow's East End terrified to let kids out to play amid flytipping eyesore

Willie Anderson, who lives in Wellhouse, has called for action to be taken over a communal area of land to the rear of properties at Baldovan Crescent.

The grass sits behind two blocks of tenements and a row of homes and is littered with household appliances, rubbish, fallen tree branches and old children’s toys.

John Daly, Willie Anderson and Thomas Kerr in the land behind Baldovan Crescent

Willie said: “I have lived here now for four years and it’s been like this since then. “I’ve got four kids and we can’t let them out to play because we are worried about their safety.

“If someone would come and clean this up for us, we would look after the area and maintain it.

“It would mean I don’t have to worry about letting my kids outside and we are not constantly having to check on them.

Discarded children's toys, home appliances and rubbish are strewn across the land.

But there is uncertainty over who owns the land resulting in a dispute over who clears it. 

Another resident, who asked not to be named, claimed that her mother had lived in the area for 30 years and it has always been the same. She said: “It’s horrible having to look out at that every day.”

“I’ve got three kids and they are not allowed anywhere near this.

“If something could be done about this, it would make the area much safer.”

“It’s a good area, all the neighbours chip in together.”

John Daly, a Conservative candidate for the Baillieston ward in next month’s council election, said he was “shocked but not surprised” by the eyesore. He said: “I’m in total shock, but I’m not surprised.

John Daly, Conservative candidate for the Baillieston ward.

"These communities have been forgotten.

“People aren’t empowered enough to get this sorted themselves. They’re not just going to say: ‘Get this fixed for me’ they’re saying ‘Get this fixed for me and I’ll look after it’.

"I spent all of my years working in areas of challenge. I found that people are absolutely fierce for their communities, they just need that leg up.”

“If that was anywhere else in the city, it would have been cleaned right away.”

Glasgow’s Conservative group leader, Thomas Kerr said that it was further evidence the North East of the city had been left behind. He said: “This is shocking and it’s a similar site across the city. We’ve seen pieces of land that have been left like this for years.

“Local residents are happy to look after this once it’s cleared up, they just need somebody to have a bit of ownership and come in and clear it up first and then they’re more than happy to look after it properly.

“It’s a clear health hazard. If there is something like this, the council should come and clear it and then bill the owners.”

A spokesperson for Wellhouse Housing Association said that they would not comment as the issue is a political matter, but they told the Glasgow Times they would be happy to work with residents to find a way to clear the mess.

Glasgow City Council said that clearing the mess was a matter for a private land owner. A spokesperson said: “The upkeep of private property is a matter for the owner.”