New gates for laneways in Derry estate to tackle anti-social behaviour

At a Health and Community Committee meeting on Thursday, members endorsed a gating order for Elaghmore Park, which will see the installation of four gates in the area.

Strategic Director, Barry O’Hagan, said a survey was carried out by the Outer North Community Safety Team(ONCST) and 29 householders registered support for the installation, due to concerns with ongoing anti-social and risk-taking behaviour.

“A number of residents also indicated their willingness to act as key holders if the gates are installed,” Mr O’Hagan said. “Over the past 12 months, there have been numerous media reports of incidents of anti-social and anti-community behaviour in this area of the Galliagh –Ballyarnett DEA.

“Several site visits have taken place with upset residents, attended by elected representatives, community reps, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the PSNI Neighbourhood Policing Team, and community safety wardens.

“The Neighbourhood Policing Team regularly deal with incidents of stealing and burning bins, organised fights between groups, and general disruption caused by very large crowds and they report that, with so many open entrances to the area, these lanes are used as escape routes.

“Maps showing the proposed locations of the gates will be available for inspection by interested parties at the Galliagh and Leafair Community Centres.”

SDLP councillor Brian Tierney said that as a member of the ONCST who lives close to Elaghmore Park, he personally knows many residents who have been “absolutely tortured by anti-social behaviour”.

He added: “I do have a slight concern that at the particular area there are three laneways so it has to be made clear to the residents in the other lane, which are being left out at this stage, that this is only phase one of that gating process.

“There will, hopefully very shortly, be another gating order for the other lane

"It's very, very important that we do make that clear.”

Various areas of the city have previously had gates installed at laneways following concerns raised by residents over anti-social gatherings.

Andrew Balfour,

Local Democracy Reporter