Measures to protect ‘nuisance’ city spot failing as drinkers and drug addicts return
PC: MARKET PROPOSALS WILL NOT ‘DRIVE PROBLEM AWAY’
ATTEMPTS to keep street drinkers and drug addicts away from a “nuisance” Derby city centre spot are proving ineffective, with incidents of misuse rising again.
The revelation has come from a leading Derbyshire police officer in a letter to Derby City Council over plans for a new market at St Peter’s Churchyard - next to St Peter’s Street.
The document by Keith Beswick, a Designing Out Crime officer, says measures taken by the landowner to stop street drinkers and drug addicts hanging around the churchyard include setting up fencing to stop them gaining access to the site.
But the drink and drug addicts are deliberately climbing the fencing to get access – therefore the measures are now “without effect”.
Since Covid restrictions have been lifted the site is being frequently misused again.
Derbyshire police say the measures have been implemented by the landowner - so the statement is not a criticism of policing.
PC Beswick writes: “The vacant site has a long history of nuisance use. Prior to Covid lockdown restrictions the area was frequented very regularly by street drinkers and drug addicts who valued the secluded and annexed nature of the area, whilst still being close to all city amenities.
“Measures have clearly been taken to attempt to stop this happening, but without effect.
“The 2.4m high welded mesh fence fixed above boundary walls has been breached at the bottom where it meets the lower portion of newer wall on the boundary with Sally Montague’s site.
“The problem did abate during lockdown as the city’s homeless were placed in temporary accommodation and were subject to better and closer care. This is no longer the case and the Safer Neighbourhood Team are beginning to see the site being misused again.”
St Peters Church - understood to be the landowner - has been approached for comment.
Plans have been submitted to the city council for a new market at the site with backing from business leaders saying it will rejuvenate the area and provide the centre with an economic boost.
If approved the market will feature 14 kiosk-style stalls, seating areas and a performance area.
However, PC Beswick suggested a new market would not necessarily mean street drinkers and drug addicts would stop misusing the area. The letter adds: “With the absence of a community safety plan to accompany the application, there may be an assumption by the applicants that regulated ownership and better use of the site will drive this problem away.
“I wouldn’t expect this to be the case, and anticipate continued misuse of the site when unoccupied, probably with the stalls and seating inside providing more of a draw, and more seclusion towards the back of the site.”
Despite incidents on the site rising again, police state anti-social behaviour in the city centre is now at an all time low.
A force spokesperson said: “The city centre policing team has been working as part of a multi-agency group to tackle long term issues involving substance misuse, homelessness, and anti-social behaviour.
“This is done through a combination of offering support to those vulnerable individuals – as well as using dispersal orders and criminal behaviour orders to ensure those who do not engage are able to be pro-actively policed.
“The ongoing work of all partners has meant that anti-social behaviour is at an all-time low in the area and the force, along with partners, will continue to work to ensure that this continues.”