Councillor in call for the flats to be razed

A councillor this week called for the demolition of flats in Harestone Crescent if the council keep dumping ‘undesirables in the area.

Councillor Sam Love insisted if the council and police can’t curb antisocial behaviour and improve living conditions for the decent residents living there, then it is time to pull down the notorious flats.

Councillor Love made the comments as the Wishaw Press were invited to walk about the area with council officials and police.

The Wishaw Press joined Councillor Love, Councillor Frank McKay, Sergeant Alex Pllu, of Wishaw Police Office, Audrey Johnstone housing area manager, and John Appearson, the council’s property services manager to see the problems and assess what improvements can be carried out in the area.

Speaking to the Wishaw Press, Councillor Love said: “What they are telling us is that it is a hard to let area .

“If they keep allocating the wrong people here I will be asking the council for demolition of the flats.”

Councillor Frank McKay said that all allocations by the housing department have caused the problems.

“They are putting the wrong people in,” he said.

“It was a pensioner’s complex.

Councillor Love said that a lot of improvements still need to be carried out at the flats including improving lighting and getting rid of the railings at the back of the flats.

He asked for bins to be taken away from outside the flats and put in a central area to stop them being torched and a fire hazard.

Many of the flats outside walls had scorch marks after the bins had been set alight.

He has also called for fireproof doors, cutting back of trees and shubbery and better fencing.

This comes after two men were assaulted in their property after their doors were kicked in and the men were set upon.

Councillor Love said: “This area could be marketed as one-bedroom flats in a central location.”

One resident, who didn’t want to be named, had made his own upgrades to the property and was proud of it. He said: “I love it here. I have lived in Wishaw for 32 years.

“The young ones don’t bother me. People from other areas come down the lane and cause the trouble. It is not always people here who are doing it.”

Councillor Love said: “They need to rejig the flats and make them into onebedroom properties. The priority here is to let people live in peace.

“If the council don’t do the job right, then there needs to be demolition.”