The Ministry of the Environment yesterday reported considerable progress in efforts to clean up the Controversy Lane site of Mill Creek Park.

The area is protected under the National Parks Act and includes the Controversy Lane area and Tulo Valley Nursery.

In a bid to further a phased implementation of the Mill Creek Park Management Plan, officers of the Parks Department removed a number of unauthorised boats from Controversy Lane.

The Department of Communication and Information said the current area clean up represents the first phase of the implementation of the management plan of the area.

"We are pleased to report that several boat owners are cooperating with the Ministry and have moved or agreed to remove their boats by the end of today," Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield said.

The ministry has made several unsuccessful efforts in recent years to have the boats removed and granted a number of extensions to the owners.

Five unauthorised boats were removed and a large amount of trash, including two loads of metal trash and three loads of wood and household trash. Two derelict stripped cars, two large boat trailers, two motorcycles, two pedal cycles, two car motors and a boat motor were also in the refuse haul.

A car and horse trailer will be removed from the site at a later date.

Government yesterday gave additional extensions to the remaining seven boat owners. The eight vessels must be removed by the end of the month.