A £500,000 project has started to clear an illegal dump which has been a blot on the landscape in Oxford for two decades.

Fly-tippers have used land near the Redbridge recycling centre, off Abingdon Road, to dump everything from building waste containing asbestos to fridges and mattresses for 20 years.

The Redbridge Hollow dumping ground grew to 926 square metres – bigger than Oxford Ice Rink – and was infested with rats.

But contractors have started work to clear the site and build new travellers’ pitches in place of the dump.

Kennington Parish Council clerk Pam Johnston and vice-chairman Colin Charlett visited the site to see the work begin. Mr Charlett said: “People in the village are delighted the work is finally starting after all this time, but it is disgraceful that it’s going to cost this much to clear the site.

“We are concerned that there will now be illegal tipping in two nearby fields called Kendall Copse, and we hope the whole area will be closely monitored.”

Mrs Johnston added: “The parish council has called consistently for this area to be cleared and people in the village have despaired that tipping has continued, even after the council tried to stop it.”

Her husband, Kennington parish councillor Bob Johnston, added he had been fighting for the rubbish to be removed for 15 years.

He said: “It’s a great relief for residents that the site is finally being cleared, so that it can be used for new pitches for travellers.

“I personally don’t have a problem with that.”

Owen Morton, a spokesman for Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The work will pave the way for a number of additional, much-needed traveller pitches.

“County council contractors are currently working on the first phase of the project, on the north side of the road leading to the existing traveller site.

“This is due to be complete by the end of October, and will allow the construction of one new traveller pitch.

“The second, much larger phase of the work, to the south of the access road, is expected to begin in the new year.

“This will allow the construction of a further eight pitches on the site.

“The extension of the gypsy and traveller site, once the area is cleared, should have the effect of killing two birds with one stone – enabling the provision of much-needed new pitches while removing the potential for further fly-tipping.”

Last year, it was estimated that it would cost £858,000 to clear the site, but the council revised the estimate to £500,000 after further investigations.

About 200 travellers live in 16 plots at Redbridge Hollow, close to the illegal dump.