Residents have been angered as the land owned by the Department for Regional Development (DRD) is not being maintained because of cutbacks.

SDLP Belfast Councillor Tim Attwood confirmed the contract was not carried over to the Belfast City Council and said the area has deteriorated.

Councillor Attwood said: "I drove past DRD owned land at Hillhead Avenue last week when my four-year-old son said it looked like a jungle. That is how much the area has deteriorated. There are significant pieces of DRD land from Hillhead to the Blacks Road and from Glengoland to Poleglass roundabout which are no longer being maintained because of cutbacks.

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"It has been revealed that DRD had a contract with the old Lisburn Borough Council for cutting grass and maintaining DRD land which is now located in Belfast. This contract was not carried over to the new Belfast City Council as a result of cutbacks.

"The reality is that both BCC and NIHE are maintaining and cutting the grass on their land yet DRD is abandoning significant areas which are getting more dilapidated by the day."

(CD/JP)