October 29, 2018 8.03 pm This story is over 71 months old

‘Intimidating’ Lincoln drugs alley will be closed

The passage will be closed off for at least three years
Photo: Sarah Barker for The Lincolnite

An “intimidating” Lincoln passageway which has been described as a “focal point for drug use” will finally be closed.

Senior city councillors have given final approval for St Peter’s Passage to be gated off following concerns over anti-social behaviour.

The historic passageway, which connects Mint Lane with the High Street, will be gated off for three years under City of Lincoln Council plans.

Authority officials said they want to “break the cycle” of anti-social behaviour and that they have had “significant pressure” from local firms to tackle the issue.

The passageway was previously earmarked for closure back in 2015 until the plan was dropped by the city council due to a low consultation response.

Photo: Sarah Barker for The Lincolnite

Now, businesses and the public have described the passage as a “public health hazard”.

Others said the area is often used for drug use and that human faeces have had to be cleared by staff at local firms.

The chair of the council’s policy scrutiny committee, Councillor Chris Burke, described the passage as “not the city at its most glorious” before backing its closure.

Meanwhile, Conservative councillors supported the plan but said that something needs to be in place to protect people in case the problem “disperses”.

The move comes as the city council has stepped up efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour by introducing an intervention team as part of a wider authority strategy.

Deputy leader of City of Lincoln Council, Donald Nannestad.

Lincoln BIG has offered to cover the costs of closing the passage, meaning there will be no cost to the local authority.

Deputy leader of the council, Donald Nannestad, said the authority was responding to people’s concern.

“There has been a lot of concern from people who use that area, businesses in particular,” he said.

“What we have agreed to do is implement a public space protection order which we will review in one year.

“We can then see what affect it has had and whether or not it has put the anti-social behaviour into other areas.”

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