Fears over anti-social behaviour at kids’ park

RESIDENTS living near Jasmine Park say a lack of action over the play area has led to an increase in anti-social behaviour.

The comments come after residents celebrated the reopening of facilities in January this year after they were closed for 18 months due to a legal dispute between the council and developer Taylor Wimpey.

But they say the council owned park is like a ‘no -man’s land’ and has become a haven for anti-social behaviour.

Anna Dobson, 35, from Wallbrook Avenue, who has lived there for four years, said: “No-one locks the park’s gates and there are no wardens. so you get people staying there at night, and getting drunker and drunker.

“It goes on most nights.”

Anna, who lives with husband Andrew and son Alex, two, added: “It intimidates people from going, I just avoid it now. Andrew, my husband, is furious too but people don’t know how to stop it.” She added that residents also had to clear up rubbish at the park themselves.

She said: “I am just annoyed – if I try to sell my house and people come on a bad day they’ll think, I’m not moving here, it’s like a no-man’s land.”

David Rutley, MP for Macclesfield, said: “It is very sad to hear about these issues of anti-social behaviour at Jasmine Park, especially when local residents fought so hard to get the park open against real odds.”

Councillor Les Gilbert, Cheshire East Council’s cabinet member for communities, said an anti-social behaviour (ASB) team is monitoring the situation. He said: “After police confirmed a number of incidents had been reported, the ASB co-ordinator for the area visited the park on May 26. Although there was no sign of any rubbish and the park was in a good state of upkeep, there were complaints of noise coming from young people playing football.

“The ASB team have not received any new notifications of young people involved in ASB or of any police incidents since May 28.”

A committee to represent Jasmine Park is currently being set up and hopes to take on responsibilities at the site in the near future.

A spokesman for Taylor Wimpey said: “(Jasmine Park) is the responsibility of the council.”