‘Enough is enough’: councillor demands action as fly-tipping returns to neglected Bournemouth flats

Concerns have been raised over a long-neglected block of flats in Bournemouth after reports of fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour resurfaced.

The property at 21 Knole Road had previously been the focus of a coordinated operation involving residents, BCP Council and Dorset Police. The building was cleared of waste, boarded up and secured after becoming a hub for fly-tipping, squatting and anti-social behaviour.

However, residents say problems have returned, prompting renewed calls for intervention and a long-term solution.

Green councillor Sara Armstrong has urged the council and partner agencies to take decisive action, arguing that repeated clean-up operations are failing to address the root cause of the problem.

“Enough is enough,” Cllr Armstrong said. “Our community deserves safe streets, decent homes, and public authorities with the powers to act.

“We cannot continue accepting a system where irresponsible landlords profit while residents, children, and taxpayers bear the cost.”

The councillor said the situation reflected broader national concerns about neglected and empty properties being allowed to deteriorate while housing demand continues to rise.

She added: “This is not just about one building, it’s about an absent landowner and a system that allows properties to be left without proper care or accountability.

“While families are waiting for affordable housing and thousands remain in temporary accommodation around the country, buildings like this are left to deteriorate.”

Cllr Armstrong argued that councils require stronger powers and greater resources to intervene earlier and prevent buildings from becoming magnets for criminality and environmental problems.

The renewed complaints have also reignited questions about who should bear responsibility for the costs of repeated enforcement action, clean-ups and site security, which are often funded by public bodies.

The Green Party councillor said she would continue working with residents, council officers, police and other agencies to push for enforcement action and secure a permanent resolution.

“What they need now is sustained intervention, accountability from the landowner, and a permanent solution that finally ends this cycle of neglect,” she said.