West Sussex village pathway ownership dispute: Rats found in 'dumping site'

Kenneth Parker, of Brookside Avenue in Rustington, has a pathway running down the side of his property that used to be the approach path to a, now disused, cemetery.

“Over the years the path has become very overgrown and some people have used it as their, personal, dumping site,” Mr Parker explained.

"Consequently it has become home to many rats and they are breeding, they come into my garden on a regular basis.

"The problem is no one will claim responsibility or ownership of this pathway. I have contacted the councils and each one deny responsibility.

"I feel that if the pathway was cleared the rat problem would disappear. My partner and I are both 76 and not in the best of health and we could do without this stress.”

Jamie Bennett, chairman of Rustington Parish Council, explained that the pathway is effectively in ‘no man’s land’ – and councillors share the residents’ frustration.

He said: “The parish council understand that the pathway, in question, was part of an area of land originally purchased, by a local developer, when the housing in Wolstenbury Road was built.

"When the company went into liquidation the ‘pathway’ had yet to be developed and formally designated as a public footpath, it therefore, subsequently, reverted to being classified as Crown Land or a piece of ‘no mans land’ and so cannot fall under the usual jurisdiction of the highways authority.

"The parish council shares the frustration of local residents in relation to this undesignated pathway and its deterioration and misuse as an area for fly tipping.”

Arun District Council and the housing association, Southern Housing, both confirmed they do not own the pathway – which is part of Wolstenbury Road.

On the rat situation, a district council spokesperson said: “If somebody has rats on their property, it is their responsibility to deal with them, possibly via a pest controller.”

Mr Parker said: “All I really want is everything to be cleared right down to my fence so it does away with the area the rats are living in. It’s just a nightmare.”