Northumberland Road rats alert: Rats warning over former Sheffield lab site near, owned by Naseem Hamed's firm

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Owners of a former lab site near Broomhill, Sheffield, have been warned to take action over rat concerns, or face a possible court case.

A notice has been put in place on the gate to a former laboratory site on Northumberland Road, warning the site’s owners to remove material that could attract rats, warning of a possible prosecution it is not done by later his month.

The notice is addressed to the company secretary of Psalter Developments Ltd, which lists Naseem Hamed as one of its ‘officers’ on the Government’s companies website, describing him as owning 75 per cent of the firm.

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A Sheffield Council order on a gate on Northumberland Road, Sheffield, warning of action if work is not done over concerns about ratsA Sheffield Council order on a gate on Northumberland Road, Sheffield, warning of action if work is not done over concerns about rats
A Sheffield Council order on a gate on Northumberland Road, Sheffield, warning of action if work is not done over concerns about rats | National World

The notice has been stuck to the entrance in yellow and black tape, carrying Sheffield Council’s logo and the words: “Enviro-crime scene.”

Locals say they believe the site has been unused for around 20 years, since The British Glass Industry Research Association left.

Since then, it has become overgrown, and a giant hole has been dug in the middle of the land.

Naseem Hamed helps clean up graffiti at Five Weirs Walk, East Coast Road, Sheffield, in November 1995, during the height of his boxing success.Naseem Hamed helps clean up graffiti at Five Weirs Walk, East Coast Road, Sheffield, in November 1995, during the height of his boxing success.
Naseem Hamed helps clean up graffiti at Five Weirs Walk, East Coast Road, Sheffield, in November 1995, during the height of his boxing success. | National World

Trees and vegetation which grow on the site have been periodically cut back, and at one stage some of the site was used for parking. It is not know whether the parking was authorised.

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High wooden boards were at one stage fixed to a wall which runs next to it, but residents say they were blown down in gales.

A notice has now appeared on the locked gate to the site, warning that action needs to be taken over concerns over rats.

The notice on the boards outside the former labs on Northumberland RoadThe notice on the boards outside the former labs on Northumberland Road
The notice on the boards outside the former labs on Northumberland Road | National World

The notice states: “It appears to the Sheffield City Council that steps should be taken for keeping land the north east site of Northumberland Road, Sheffield S102UA from from rats and/or mice.

“The council require you within a period of 28 days from the date of this notice to take the following steps for keeping the said land free from rates and mice.

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“You must remove from the land and suitably dispose of all materials and/or waste that may provide harbourage or food for rats and/ or mice.

“To effectively test bait the area to establish whether rodents are present and to provide evidence of this once carried out.

“You should note that failure to to comply with this notice may result in a criminal prosecution.”

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The notice is signed by Andrew Ashforth, an Environmental Enforcement Officer at Sheffield Council.

The notice is addressed to the the company secretary of Psalter Developments Ltd.

Councillor Joe Otten, Chair of Waste and Street Scene Committee at Sheffield City Council said: “Flytipping, pests and litter make the city look uninviting and uncared for. It’s so important for us to continue to maintain and improve our environment.

“One of the ways that we do this is by using our enforcement powers where we need to. When there is land that needs to be improved, we post legal notices after writing to landowners. We then re-visit the land to check whether the required works have been carried out. If we find that the work hasn't been done, we take further formal action.”

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