7th March 2008, 08/59
Nowhere to hide for troublemakers
Empty garages that attract anti-social behaviour in parts of
Skelmersdale are to be revamped to make the area safer and more
attractive.
There are a number of empty garages underneath blocks of flats at
Blakehall that are subject to costly, high levels of vandalism,
detract from the look and feel of the area and are a significant
factor in levels crime and the fear of crime.
As a result the £3.7m Safer, Stronger Communities Fund to make
Digmoor, Moorside and Tanhouse cleaner, safer and greener has
funded a project to reduce the number of long term empty garages in
the Digmoor area.
The initiative means that the long term empty garages under the
blocks of flats will be bricked up and rendered and also one garage
in each of six of these blocks will be converted into a waste
collection and recycling point for the residents of the
block.
Margaret Highton, Chairman of the Neighbourhood Board, said: "At
the moment the empty garages really make the area look scruffy and
attract nuisance behaviour. As a result some people are scared to
go past them in case someone is hiding in one of them. So I'm
delighted that this hotspot area is being targeted as I'm sure it
will make the neighbourhood much safer as a result."
Current garage tenants in these blocks have had to be relocated to
a small number of other garages in close proximity to each other,
resulting in full garage occupation of these blocks and paramount
to the success of the project. When complete, it will result in a
much-improved area for the residents of Digmoor and should see an
increase in recycling rates.
MP Rosie Cooper, Chair of the Local Strategic Partnership, added:
"This is an excellent project which not only reassures the
community about safety but it will also improve the environment and
recycling too, which are key requirements of the Government funding
of £3.7m, because it has to be spent on schemes that are clean,
green and safe."
West Lancashire District Council's Housing Division are taking the
lead on this particular project and have appointed Paintaway Ltd to
carry out the work, which should be completed by the end of
March.
Cllr David Westley, the Council's Portfolio Holder for Community
Safety, said: "The residents who live in Blakehall have been
extremely positive about the changes and have been willing to have
their garages moved for the sake of safety because it's much better
to have them all together in blocks than having part-empty blocks
of garages which attract more trouble! I'm also pleased that we
have been able to create recycling points too so that they will
have space to put their recycling waste - which will be a big boost
for the environment."
Some empty garages at Beechtrees are also to be converted. Once
finished, officers from the Estate Management Team and Street Scene
will visit the residents in the flats to give them advice about the
use of the new waste disposal and recycling points.
There are more projects planned in the next few months to make the
areas cleaner, safer and greener. Anyone who would like information
about the project can contact Chris Skinkis/Karen Warmington at the
Neighbourhood Management Office, 01695 585118 or email
neighbourhood.management@westlancsdc.gov.uk.
Related information
> Community
Safety