Residents have defied Dorchester Town Council and built a bonfire on the Elizabeth Place play area.
The substantial fire was in place on Tuesday morning with a painted sign saying “no waste.”
Most of the fire seemed to be made up of wood including fencing panels, furniture and commercial wooden pallets.
The town council, which owns the site, had asked for the fire not to be built – worried about the potential risk to homes and people living nearby and potential pollution.
“Through on site signage and social media communications, we have made it clear that the Town Council has not given permission for a bonfire to take place on this land and does not consider such an event to be safe for residents, pets or local wildlife.
“We have no information to suggest that the event is being organised by an individual or organisation with appropriate public liability insurance or that the necessary risk assessments have been undertaken to adequately consider and mitigate the potential risks to residents, neighbouring properties and the wider public,” said a statement from the council.
The authority added that concerns about the fire had also been raised by Dorset Police and Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service with concerns that the event could place “additional and unnecessary demands on our emergency services.”
The town council said that in previous years it had incurred costs, ultimately borne by local taxpayers, in clearing and disposing of waste left behind following the bonfire.
“Although we anticipate that the unauthorised event may still go ahead, it is important that the Council’s position is clearly communicated and documented. We have therefore taken steps to make the public aware that the event has not been authorised by the Town Council and that we have significant concerns about the associated safety risks,” said the statement.
Residents living near the site were unwilling to say who had built the fire or even when it would be lit although the assumption is that it would be set fire to on November 5th.
“We have had a bonfire here for years, it’s a great community event and nobody really understands why the town council is against it,” said one woman, “It’s a tradition and we’ll carry on with it.”
