DISCUSSIONS have started to plan a clear up of Oxford's 'super dump' which has re-appeared despite thousands of pounds previously being spent clearing it up.

But Oxfordshire's councils still cannot say when the mess will be removed or how much the operation will cost taxpayers, as tonnes of mattresses, building waste and doors remain piled up in the entrance to travellers' site Redbridge Hollow.

Oxfordshire County Council - who own the travellers' site - told the Oxford Mail they had taken 'immediate steps' to restrict access to dumping areas around the rubbish mountain, but said it could not say what would be done to stop the problem worsening.

Some members of the public have made suggestions to convert the area where the rubbish pile is into a children's playground once it is cleared to stop it returning.

The latest escalation of rubbish since Christmas sparked concerns over the growing eyesore - as well as an infestation of rats living in the mountain.

Paul Smith, spokesman for the county council said: "We are undertaking some immediate steps to restrict access to some areas around the site.

"Some enforcement work is being planned and we are discussing longer term options with Thames Valley Police, Oxford City Council, Vale and the Environment Agency.

"At this stage we can’t discuss those longer term options in detail. Our overall aim, and that of our partner agencies, remains to see a resolution to this difficult issue."

In the past, Oxfordshire's taxpayers have footed the bill to clean up the mess, including £280,000 in 2010.

The county council said officers 'had not been able to identify' the fly tipping criminals and emails seen by the Oxford Mail revealed earlier this month there is no timescale of when the current mess will be shifted.

County councillor for Kennington, Bob Johnston, said the issue of the super dump had been a problem since the 1980s.

He added meetings had been held and that the authorities were looking to work with the residents of the traveller's site to establish a solution.

The Liberal Democrat councillor said the 'ideal solution' would to build a play area on the site of the dump but added he 'could not put a price on it'.

He added: "It's the first time the residents are actually involved."

The majority of rubbish is in the entrance to the travellers' site, which is in the jurisdiction of the Vale of White Horse, but owned buy the county council.

Other spots blighted by waste include the allotments, which are owned and in the district of Oxford City Council.

Previously, Paul Holland, environmental protection manager for Vale and South, told the Oxford Mail a big problem in the county was 'professional fly-tippers' offering to take rubbish away for between £50 and £70, which would then be dumped down a back road or in a field.