A COMMUNITY which has had enough of a scruffy former farm is trying to encourage Hillingdon Council to buy the site.

At their quarterly meeting last Wednesday, South Ruislip Residents' Association (SRRA) announced plans to start a petition asking the council to compulsorily purchase Glebe Farm, in West End Road.

Kate Fennell, who lives in Glebe Avenue, said: "Our young men and women who have gone out to fight a war come home and look at this - it's a disgrace.

"The royal family pass West End Road regularly and what do they see? Rubbish. What do the Polish people who have fought for this country see? Rubbish.

"Let's put our backs into this and do something about it so we can put some pride back into this country and so people can see that we are proud of where we live."

The SRRA wants the council to buy the site so that it can be used in a more environmentally friendly way. Suggestions include landscaping to provide a car park and footpath to the nearby Polish war memorial, use of the house to store the Polish Air Force Association's (PAFA) memorabilia, allotments or an Olympic garden.

Don Ticehurst, a member of SRRA, said: "The committee has decided to support and push a petition to try to encourage the council, the Ministry of Defence, RAF Northolt and PAFA to come together to try to get something done about Glebe Farm.

"The site is a disgrace and should be redeveloped for the benefit of the local residents."

The site is owned by the company Autodex, which uses it for storing cars. In 2005 it submitted an application to Hillingdon Council to use the land for storage, which was refused then approved on appeal by the secretary of state.

James Rodger, head of planning and enforcement service at the council, said: "Clearly the decision to approve the storage space was not taken by the council and so unfortunately there is no action that can be taken in this case. The council will nonetheless look carefully at the issues raised by residents and look into whether there are any possible solutions to their concerns."

The SRRA and ward councillors are now faced with the task of finding a valid reason why the council should compulsorily purchase it.

Councillor Judy Kelly said: "It has to be a watertight reason that is of benefit to the community. The more pressure we can put on the council the better it will be and the more chance we will stand."

No-one at Autodex was available for comment at the time of going to press.