Home for homeless has made life hell for residents of a Sutton Street

Angry residents on Nesbitt Street say the home run by the Framework charity has brought them a four-year ordeal of anti-social behaviour.

They say in recent months people connected with the home have openly dealt drugs, discarded used needles and threatened them with violence and have kept them awake playing loud music at night.

This week, following the intervention of MP Gloria De Piero, Framework has promised to take strong action against the alleged offenders.

Peter Brice, 63 said: “It has made our life hell. Local people call this street drug alley. One man down the street has two young children. He found a used needle outside his door.

Resident Bev Whyman added: “People living there have thrown things into my alley - cigarette ends, bottles of urine even soiled underpants and used needles.

“When it first opened we got our car scratched.

“One of them threatened to drive through our front room window. It was going to be a bungalow, then flats to be sold privately, then Framework bought it.

Since then it has been a nightmare They just draw people from all over sometimes 50-60 people coming to collect their drugs.”

Steven Mills, 48, said: “It was originally supposed to be a refuge for battered women. When it was half built it was sold to Framework.

“It has brought misery and chaos to the street.”

“My van has been vandalised, acid was thrown all over it. We have had to club together with £600 each for CCTV.”

Framework Chief Executive Andrew Redfern said Framework was aware that incidents of anti-social behaviour had occurred in Nesbit Street in the past.

He said: “Some it has been linked directly to our tenants. This conduct is not acceptable, whoever is responsible for it. Our response has been robust. We have therefore been working closely with local residents, the police, and the district council especially in recent months. This reflects a new approach to tenancy management across the organisation, with a renewed emphasis on the effective tackling of anti-social behaviour.

“On Thursday we hosted the latest in a series of public meetings at Sutton in Ashfield to continue our liaison with the community.

“On Friday we also met with Ashfield MP Gloria De Piero follow this up. It was encouraging to hear from local residents that there have been significant improvements in the conduct of those tenants who have previously caused problems, though more work is needed to ensure that this continues in the long-term.

“Framework continues to take antisocial behaviour very seriously indeed. When our residents are implicated in it, we will take strong action – up to and including taking people to court in order to bring their tenancies to an end. This is a last resort but that if necessary we are prepared to use. We will continue to monitor the situation in Nesbitt Street, working with the police and other partners to ensure that our residents understand the importance of being good neighbours.”

Ashfield MP Gloria De Piero added: “Anti-social behaviour makes innocent residents lives hell and it should never be tolerated. It’s unacceptable and needs to be stamped out as soon as possible. The residents have been through more than enough so it was reassuring to hear Framework promise they will do all they can to resolve this problem and take tough measures if necessary. I’m going to being following it very closely to make sure this happens.”