Residents of Boardman Street in Eccles say they are being 'attacked by brambles' and left without parking spaces due to overgrown vegetation from a privately owned plot of land. Wendy Bolton, 53, who has lived on the street for 40 years, described the area as looking 'scruffy' and neglected.
The vegetation has been growing along the boundary of the site, which is earmarked for development into warehouses, for almost two years. Mrs Bolton, a support worker, said: "I'm just fed up of it. If you park on that side you get your legs scratched up getting out of the car. So most people park further down the road. There's already huge issues with parking in this area."
Neighbours complain to council
Her neighbour, electrician Richard Braddick, 52, added: "I have to carry my equipment in and out from my van every day. But because this takes up so many spaces, people end up parked in front of my house and I end up parked ages away. It's really inconvenient."
The neighbours complained to the council more than two months ago, according to Mrs Bolton. However, because the plants are growing partly out of private land, the council say they cannot take any action. They have tried to contact the landowner, according to an email sent to Mrs Bolton. The council did not respond to a request for comment.
Aviva Investors respond
The landowners are Aviva Investors, who are preparing the site to build a huge new warehouse complex that received planning permission in 2023. Works to prepare the site have started, with tractors and diggers flattening the vegetation across the plot, but leaving the plantlife around the fence on Boardman Street.
A spokesperson for Aviva Investors claimed they had only been informed of the issue a week ago. The spokesperson said: "We were first informed about overgrown vegetation on 29 July by the local council and immediately instructed a contractor to clear the area, which is expected to take place in August. Enabling works, in preparation for construction of the employment units, has commenced and is expected to complete by the end of the year."
The industrial complex will include seven storage units totalling around 230,400 square feet - roughly three football pitches worth of warehouse space. The development is flanked by Valtris Speciality Chemicals on one side and surrounded by residential homes on Boardman St, Garden St, Davis St, The Grove, and Irwell Avenue.
