A BID to bring an "eyesore" waste site - next to a Grade I listed Halesowen park - back into use has attracted a string of objections.

Taymar Construction and Developments has bought the site off Mucklow Hill known as Haywood Bridge - which is next to historic Leasowes Park - and was at the centre of a double murder case.

Jonathan Houseman was jailed for life in 2021 for murdering Will Henry, 31, and Brian McIntosh, 29, who he failed to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds after hiring them to clear the site, which contained around 1,000 tons of waste.

Halesowen News: Halesowen waste site boss Jonathan Houseman was jailed for lifeHalesowen waste site boss Jonathan Houseman was jailed for life (Image: West Midlands Police)

Now Taymar Construction wants to continue using the land, which has been empty for more than 18 months, as a waste transfer site and haulage yard and has submitted plans to Dudley Council.

More than thirty letters of objection have been sent to Dudley Council by people worried that the site could cause result in large mounds of rubbish being seen from the park, damage boundary walls and fences and cause a fire hazard.

Councillor Alan Taylor said: "It is visible when you enter Leasowes Park which is a grade one listed park."

He added: "When it was last used as a rubbish dump I regularly had to send in letters of complaint due to the height and smell of the rubbish and that it was piled against the boundary wall causing it to collapse onto the towpath.

"The pile of rubbish could be seen from the park itself which gave a most unsightly view."

Halesowen News: The site is next to the canal and Leasowes ParkThe site is next to the canal and Leasowes Park (Image: Google)

One resident of Blagdon road said: "We are extremely proud of The Leasowes and its amazing wildlife it should not have an extremely offensive business side by side with its entrance and car park.

"Please don't allow this beautiful area of Dudley Borough be compromised."

Another objection called the previous tip an "eyesore" and went on to say "having such an eyesore with unpleasant smells, and a fire hazard which could expand into the park, would detract from such a beautiful tranquil park."

The firm submitted a certificate of lawfulness bid for the continued use of the site, in the Halesowen South ward, on February 24.

It states: "The site has been vacated for a period of 18 months to two years but it has remained secure and there has been no change to the site from its previous occupiers."

It adds that it proposes to "reinstate the the boundaries with fencing and retaining walls that have part collapsed or been damaged."