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South Kilburn Estate: Derelict land becomes dumping ground

BBC Rubbish at Hereford HouseBBC
The south Kilburn estate has become a haven for fly-tippers

Living next to a rubbish-filled abandoned housing estate is a "nightmare", neighbours say.

June Turner, 75, branded the situation at the South Kilburn Estate in north-west London as "scandalous".

She said: "It's become a great area for the drug-dealers, fly-tippers, the squatters. This is unacceptable."

Brent Council, which started to clear the waste only after being contacted by the BBC, said the site "will remain under constant surveillance".

The last residents moved out of Hereford House and Exeter House in July 2021.

Empty South Kilburn estate buildings
Although the flats are meant to be empty, squatters appear to be using some of them
Rubbish at Hereford House
Some of the rubbish was cleared after the BBC contacted the council

Brent Council plans to build 247 new homes on the site by 2026. Of those, 106 will be social homes and 18 will have shared ownership.

Ms Turner, who has lived in London all her life and says her family nicknamed her the rottweiler, said: "It's been absolutely awful. It's like living in a dump.

"I've never seen anything allowed to go like this. It's become the local fly-tip for the whole of London."

She said that there were rat infestations, and her granddaughter would no longer allow her great-grandson to visit.

June Turner
June Turner says she has raised the issues with Brent Council for months

"I don't feel safe for them. It's become a nightmare. I just think it's an accident waiting to happen.

"This is scandalous when there's so much homelessness."

Last week, it was revealed that councils in the capital spend £90m each month on temporary accommodation for homeless people.

Exeter House
Exeter House is one of the buildings that appears to have been used by squatters

Councillor Shama Tatler, Brent Council's cabinet member for planning, regeneration and growth, said: "Fly-tipping is a blight on local communities and completely unfair to local residents.

"We are clearing the large pile of rubbish that has been deliberately dumped at Hereford House on an industrial scale.

"The site is being secured and will remain under constant surveillance to prevent further fly-tipping and maintain a safe and clean environment for residents."

Asked for her response, Ms Turner said: "Rubbish. I'm not very happy at all. I'd like to see it mowed down, which they should have done three years ago.

"Brent - get off your backside and do something!"

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