By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
Eleven alleyways across Nottingham could be gated off for another three years to try to reduce anti-social behaviour.
Nottingham City Council will be consulting residents on its plans to keep the alleyways closed using Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs), otherwise known as gating orders, which stop access to certain areas.
Metal barriers, or palisade security fencing, is typically used to stop people going through areas which are covered by an order.
The council says the alleyways had become magnets for anti-social behaviour, which the Labour-run council says was having “a detrimental effect” on the lives of residents nearby.
Council delegated decision documents say there had been reports of the “persistent deposit of dog faeces, litter, broken bottles, other detritus and other anti-social behaviour has had a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality of the restricted area”.
Without the PSPOs the council says the problems are “likely to continue to an unreasonable extent”.
Two of the problematic alleyways are in Radford, with one running past Bentinck Primary School, between Alfreton Road and Birkin Avenue, and the other in Camomile Gardens.
In the Arboretum the council is looking to extend the orders on alleyways in Holland Street and Portland Road.
The remaining alleyways are in Beverley Square in St Ann’s, Botany Avenue in Mapperley, Candle Meadow in Colwick Park, Haswell Court in Bulwell, Kilnwood Close in Carlton, Neston Drive in Cinderhill and Smedley Close in Aspley.
Some of the gating orders date back as far as 2007, with extensions issued every three years owing to the issues in the area.
Residents will be consulted on whether the orders need to be extended further, with the orders expiring between October and November later this year.
Council documents add: “Since the orders one to 11 inclusive were made, there has been a significant reduction in the anti-social behaviour reported in the locality of the respective areas.
“However, if [the orders] are allowed to expire, which would result in the barriers being removed, this may result in the recurrence of the identified anti social behaviour in these locations.”
