RESIDENTS in Soham have issued fresh calls for action over an old school site in the town which is being used as a rubbish dump by fly-tippers. The former Soham Grammar School on Churchgate Street has posed an increasing problem for residents in recent mo

RESIDENTS in Soham have issued fresh calls for action over an old school site in the town which is being used as a rubbish dump by fly-tippers.

The former Soham Grammar School on Churchgate Street has posed an increasing problem for residents in recent months as fly-tippers continue to offload everything from wood and scrap metal to household rubbish and even old motor cars on the site.

The building was boarded up after fire took hold there in 2007 and since then the rubbish has continued to pile up, despite East Cambridgeshire District Council (ECDC) stepping in to clear the site.

The school was initially converted into flats by developers but the fire and the amount of rubbish on site have reportedly rendered the building un-inhabitable.

Soham councillor Mark Duckworth, told the Ely Standard: "I understand the problem of rubbish on the old grammar school site has been an issue for a number of years now and we are trying to work with the owner.

"There are a lot of people in the town though, who would really like to see it restored because it is in a state of dilapidation and it appears to be getting worse.

"We are hoping that the area around where the school is will form a key part of the ongoing Soham Masterplan and we really need to work with the owner to make sure that we make the best of this area."

Soham Town Council has also raised concerns about the site as it is understood that people are using the site as a cut-through to the nearby High Street.

A spokesman for ECDC said: "The district council has served a number of Enforcement Notices on the owner of the Old Grammar School in Soham.

"We have also cleaned up the rubbish at the property on numerous occasions, taken emergency action to rehouse residents and carried out works at the site all which have been charged back to the owner through the courts.

"Despite these efforts and discussions with the owner, the site has not improved. We are now looking at our legal options to ensure a long-term solution for the residents in the area.