‘Neglected’ Newport fly-tipping hotspot up for sale

It comes after news that a patch of land at 153 Commercial Road in Pill – which has suffered years of neglect – has been put up for sale for £10,000.

According to the listing, the site was “previously comprised of a three-storey property with commercial premises on the ground floor and residential accommodation above”.

However, for more than a decade the stretch of land has been plagued with fly-tipping and drug paraphernalia – problems the community in Pill is desperately trying to eradicate.

The land is on Commercial Road, in Pill. (Picture: Paul Fosh Auctions)

The land has been the subject of many clean-up efforts by Newport City Council and residents.

Wan Taylor, who is one of Pill’s most tireless campaigners and lives near to the disused land, has called for potential buyers to consider the community’s needs as part of any plans.

“That land is privately owned," she said. "It has been neglected and used as a dumping ground for rubbish for a number of years.

“It would be lovely to see the land being developed into good use which will benefit the residents.

Wan Taylor and Marcelline Ravenscroft are popular community figures in Pill.

“What we do not want is more HMOs or hostels in this area - it should be used for community benefit.”

There has been a growing opposition to Houses in Multiple Occupation - or HMOs - and hostels in the Pill area for some time – with people living there feeling that they are having a negative impact on the community and how it is being perceived by others.

In recent weeks, the Argus has reported on the optimism businesses along Commercial Road feel about the potential for Pill to thrive – with some even suggesting that trade is stronger here than in the city centre.

However, there is still a sense among locals that projects such as the Pill Regeneration Scheme have not proved to be as beneficial to the area as once imagined.

Locals want to see the space used for community benefit. (Picture: Paul Fosh Auctions)

When asked what she would like to see the land become, should it be purchased, Ms Taylor said: “I’d like to see it be turned into a play area where the children and teenagers can spend beneficial time off the streets.

“It would be a place for them to go throughout the year and where they can learn to integrate and interact to build a strong multicultural community.”

You can view the listing here.