Neighbours’ fears over teen shelter (From Echo)

Neighbours’ fears over teen shelter

3:20pm Tuesday 9th March 2010 in

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PLANS for a teen shelter in a Rayleigh park have raised concerns among neighbours about increased noise and antisocial behaviour.

Families at Rochford District Council’s west area committee meeting spoke out against plans to put the shelter in Sweyne Park.

The shelters provide somewhere for teenagers to meet and have been used in other parks in the district.

Councillor Chris Black (Lib Dem, Downhall and Rawreth) said a number of residents had contacted him about the idea, concerned it will make problems in the area worse.

One resident, who has lived in the area nearly 20 years, said: “There has been a constant ongoing problem with antisocial behaviour since I moved here.

“You will get kids gathering over there and the poor residents around it get the fallout.”

One mother, who didn’t want to be named, said she was concerned about having a teen shelter in the park.

She added: “Our boys are 13 and 15 and I wouldn’t feel particularly happy about my sons going over to Sweyne Park in the winter. It is pitch black.

“What are they doing there? What they really need is places to go to be supervised.”

However, Lisa Jefferys, leisure and cultural services manager from Rochford District Council, told the meeting, held at Rawreth Village Hall, the teen shelters had not caused problems elsewhere.

She said the temporary shelter for Sweyne Park could be moved from Ashingdon recreation ground, where it was hoped a permanent shelter could be built.

The shelter would be moved in for a trial period of at least six months.