Burglars in gardens and urinating in streets: Shrewsbury residents' fears over homeless flats plan

Those are just a handful of the problems a Shrewsbury community claimed they have faced as they fight against plans to turn an old care home into supported housing for the homeless.

Nearly 100 people packed into Quaker Meeting House in Coton Hill on Thursday night to vehemently voice their opposition to plans for the neighbouring Coton Hill House.

The building used to be leased by Coverage Care as an old folks' home, but as since been used as an emergency cold weather shelter for rough sleepers as a temporary measure.

Shropshire Council has submitted plans to turn it into supported housing on a permanent basis. Residents, however, are up in arms.

There was criticism over what they feel has been a lack of communication from Shropshire Council, as well as countless tales of people being faced with intimidating anti-social behaviour incidents.

Norma Bellingham, a long-time Coton Hill resident, said: "I've witnessed County Lines [drug dealing] there. Young men being picked up and dropped off. I've seen lots of dealing drugs in this area.

"I've seen a woman urinating in the street. The problems of the town centre are going to be coming up here.

"My house is opposite so they will know when I'm not there."

A woman called Sharon from Berwick Avenue told of the time a known burglar climbed her 6ft fence to get into her back garden. "He had been trying doors," she said. "He has got a criminal history of 100 offences including burglary.

"I've lived here for 20 years and always felt safe going in my back garden. I don't feel safe anymore."

Robin Beddoes, landlord of The Woodman pub, said he'd had "no problems" in the first 22 years of running the premises. But in the last year he said he has been "verbally abused and spat at" because he will not let people staying at Coton Hill House in the venue.

Another woman said her husband's van had been burgled, and another told of how people would fight at a premises in the community which housed homeless people, as "a woman of ill repute" would attract men there.

Coton Hill councillor Nat Green came in for criticism for not responding to emails about the property, for which he apologised, saying he had forwarded concerns to the relevant council officer.

He said he felt a big problem in Shrewsbury is having Crown House at the top of Pride Hill as the place where drug users pick up their methadone prescriptions, as it encourages them to congregate in the town centre. A resident argued that they would be congregating in Coton Hill if the plans go ahead.

Shropshire Council says its proposals will help reduce its reliance on costly and unsuitable B&Bs and enable vulnerable people to access the right support. The council says it has taken local resident feedback into account.

If approval is granted, the 75-bed care home is to be reconfigured to provide 25 self-contained flats which will be offered to people registered with the authority as being homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Residents will receive training on managing their finances and have access to support from other agencies while living at the site for up to two years.

A management plan for the project says success for individuals is "not guaranteed and if a resident is unwilling to abide by rules or do not cooperate with support staff, they will be asked to leave”.

To view and comment on the planning application, visit pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications and search for Coton Hill House.