Accumulated items in the yards and outside the front fence of the Sutherland house. Picture by Murray Trembath

A Sutherland man who admits to having "a problem" accumulating items, which fill the front and side yards of his home and spill on to public land, has been given four months to clean up the site.

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If he doesn't comply, Sutherland Shire Council will be able to have the work done.

The Land and Environment Court issued orders to Scott Taylor after finding he had failed to comply with council orders from February 2023.

Justice Sarah Pritchard said in her judgement that, since about 2010, Mr Taylor has been gradually accumulating articles and items at the premises in Sunbury Street, and since 2013 the council had received numerous complaints.

Front of the house in Sunbury Street, Sutherland. Picture by Murray Trembath

They ranged from containers, boxes, bags, baskets and bins filled with items to steel and metal products, plumbing pipes, appliances, bikes and parts, bricks, barbecues and motor vehicles.

"Council contends, and Mr Taylor accepts, the premises are not in a safe and healthy condition because they provide an environment for the harbourage of vermin and insects, are a fire hazard and are unsafe due to the unsafe storage of the articles and items," Justice Pritchard said.

Mr Taylor represented himself at the hearing.

Justice Pritchard said, in his oral evidence, Mr Taylor confirmed he was made redundant in 2019 after 40 years of work at Sydney Airport and that had triggered a "fair bit of stress" because he had expected to continue employment there until his retirement.

"Since being made redundant, he has suffered 'a lot of stress and depression'," she said.

"At the age of 67, he is not yet eligible for a pension or his superannuation, and is not eligible for Centrelink.

Accumulated items in a photo produced in evidence to the court.

"He owns another property at Forster, which is unencumbered and which is occupied by his niece and her partner, who are also in difficult financial circumstances.

"He receives no income from that property, although it is treated as an investment property.

"He currently lives on about $30 to $35 per week, and relies on income he receives from collecting bottles and cans for Return and Earn, from collecting scrap metal, which he takes to a scrap metal yard, and from repairing items like bicycles and electrical goods that he has collected and which he donates to 'the Salvos'.

"He says this is 'just a way of keeping busy and keeping me sane', and that he has 'a problem with stress'."

Justice Pritchard said Mr Taylor engaged in volunteer work at the Salvation Army, Miranda, and for the One Meal food relief organisation, which he said was important for his mental health and which provided him with food.

"Mr Taylor expressed appreciation for the assistance which he has received from the council over the past years in arranging contact with Hopefield, who set up 'some very good structured things' for him to follow up."

Justice Pritchard said Mr Taylor was "courteous and cooperative during the hearing ... and showed a genuine willingness to comply with the council's order within a longer timeframe".

Accumulated items in a photo produced in evidence to the court.

"However, while I have sympathy for his situation and acknowledge the contribution to the community he makes through his volunteer work, I share the concerns expressed by the council that Mr Taylor will require additional assistance beyond relying on the council kerbside clean-ups and his access to the recycling bins at an apartment building in order to carry out the works.

"I consider that a period of four months would be reasonable in order for Mr Taylor to make arrangements and complete the removal works before the council is permitted to carry out the works itself."

Mr Taylor was ordered to pay the council's legal costs "as agreed or assessed".

The council submitted that its costs exceeded $31,000, and it was prepared to apply a discount of 15 per cent, resulting in a sum of $27,000.