10 Nov 2026
Residents in New Greens took matters into their own hands and cleared a neglected council-owned site after weeks of requests for action failed to produce results.
A recent Saturday saw volunteers from the New Greens and Batchwood litter-picking groups – alongside young people completing their Duke of Edinburgh Awards – once again out cleaning residential streets and public spaces on their 330th litter pick.
But this weekend marked an important milestone. Four adult volunteers finally tackled the remaining rubbish inside a fenced-off, council-owned area behind New Greens Social Club on Partridge Road.
The site, once an attractive green space, has been fenced off and used by council contractors. Residents say it has become a dumping ground, with accumulated litter and waste clearly visible through the fencing. Nearby, council-owned garages have also been left unused and rotting away.
The New Greens Residents Association first raised the issue with local councillors in September, offering to clear the site voluntarily if access could be arranged.
In September a local district councillor acknowledged the problem and said: “The site looks appalling and I have asked many times for it to be cleared. The contractors get stern warnings and then do nothing.”
Despite further correspondence and requests for action, the rubbish remained.
In October, volunteers used extended litter pickers, poles, nets and considerable ingenuity to retrieve waste from outside the perimeter without entering the fenced area. A video featuring Duke of Edinburgh students helping with the clean-up attracted more than 25,000 views on social media.
Yet the heavier or unreachable rubbish, inside the enclosure, remained.
On Saturday, four adults decided to finish the job themselves. Using ladders and taking safety precautions, two volunteers entered the fenced area, supported by others, and removed the accumulated waste.
A spokesperson for the New Greens Residents Association said: “For three years, our community has worked incredibly hard to make New Greens one of the cleanest and most welcoming neighbourhoods in St Albans.
“We have asked politely. We have offered to help. We have reported the rubbish. We have even cleaned what we could from outside the fence.
“Six weeks later, the council-owned site was still an eyesore. So, on Saturday, we finally finished the job ourselves.
“What troubles me most is what this says about how our neighbourhood is treated. Would an eyesore like this have been allowed to remain for so long in some of the more affluent parts of St Albans?
“New Greens is a community full of people who care deeply about where they live. We have wonderful volunteers, young people and residents who demonstrate that care every single weekend.
“We deserve the same respect and commitment from the council that we show our own neighbourhood. We will not be ignored. We will not accept neglect as normal. We are proud of New Greens, and we will continue to look after it.”
The association is now calling on SADC to explain why the site was allowed to deteriorate, why requests for clearance did not result in timely action, and what measures will be taken to prevent the problem recurring.
They also want the council to address the deteriorating garages behind the Social Club and ensure that council-owned land in New Greens receives proper maintenance.
“Our volunteers have done their bit. By Monday there was more rubbish there! Now we need the council to do its bit too.”
The New Greens and Batchwood litter-picking groups – ‘The Batchwood Pickers’, have contributed more than 3,250 volunteer hours over the past three years, transforming the appearance of their neighbourhood.
Over five recent weekends alone, around 100 volunteer attendances have helped collect five cages of rubbish.
The groups have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to their community, with residents and young people giving up their weekends to keep local streets, green spaces and footpaths clean, but volunteers believe their efforts should be supported by the council, not undermined by neglected council-owned land.
