FEARS for commuters’ safety have emerged after piles of rubbish were dumped at an illegal breakers yard.
Network Rail bosses are fighting to get the yard at Marsh House, Vange, closed and clear-ed. They are worried the junk, which includes tyres and sofas, could end up on the nearby c2c line.
The firm claims some rubbish has already made it on to the tracks and bosses say a ripped-down fence, between the yard and railway, poses a further safety risk.
Nathan Quigley, Network Rail spokesman, said: “This location has been a rail-crime black-spot for a number of years now, with offenders using this site to access the rail line.
“We have reported incidents, including trespassing, metal objects being placed on the tracks and vandalism. These incidents affect services and cause inconvenience to passengers.
“The objections we cited were used to further raise awareness of these issues with the county council, so future offen-ces are limited and the integrity of the rail line and our assets are protected.”
Wildlife experts have said the rubbish poses a threat to rare birds and wildlife living on the site, off Brickfield Road.
Scrap workers recently left following an Essex County Council ruling that the yard, next to the RSPB-protected Vange Marshes, was operating illegally.
David Hedges, RSPB south Essex marshes site manager, said: “We had concerns about the risk of pollution from this business. Our site at Vange Wick is a haven for wintering wading birds.
“With the refusal, this potential threat appears to have been removed.”
In March, the Echo reported the Environment Agency was investigating the site for operating without a licence. Last month the yard was partly destroyed by fire, which left dozens of burnt out cars.
The yard’s co-owner, Charlie Haase, 46, of Beachway, Canvey, has been locked in a feud with his cousin James Haase, 37, over the management of the land, which is now littered with car parts, tyres and other junk.
The Haase cousins inherited the land from their fathers three years ago.
They fell out after James Haase, of Goldhanger Close, Rayleigh, began leasing the site two years ago to a number of scrap dealers.
Charlie Haase also ob-jected to his cousin’s application to the county council to legitimise the land for car breaking, saying scrap was brought on over two years, not ten, as his cousin claimed. He said: “This was the right decision.
“My cousin tried to get permission for scrap with misleading information, which I proved false. The scrap workers have been scaling down since the fire and have now gone, which is good, because they were a nuisance.
“The place has been left a total eyesore. The clean-up could be up to £100,000 and, as an owner, I am concerned I may be partly responsible.”
James Haase argued the land had been used as a breakers yard for more than ten years, which meant the county council should grant a lawful development certificate.
However, the county council concluded he had no evidence of this and the scrap business took off and intensified from 2005.
It refused the application, leading to the scrapyard being classed as unlawful.
Katie Canning, county council spokeswoman, said: “The issue will now be referred back to our enforcement panel which will review what action to take to ensure compliance.”
Rita Penman, Environment Agency spokesman, said despite the workers having left, the agency’s investigations would continue as offences were committed prior to their departure.
Despite two calls from the Echo, James Haase did not respond to requests for a comment.
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