CONCERNS have been raised about anti-social behaviour at Cranesbill Road play area.
Drug-use and sexual activity has prompted residents to complain to Melksham Town Council, local police, and GreenSquare, the company that manages green spaces on the east of Melksham estate, requesting that CCTV be installed to deter or catch offenders.
In response to the complaint, town councillors have proposed to meet with the local policing team and GreenSquare to discuss a way forward. One suggestion by the town council to tackle the problem is to request GreenSquare install sufficient lighting in the area.
Discussing the complaint at last month’s town council community development meeting, deputy mayor, cllr Hayley Spencer said, “It is an open area and at night it is dark, there is no lighting down there, no community centre – so there is no deterrent in any way.
“This is an area that desperately needs a community to come together to develop that area appropriately.”
Cllr Adrienne Westbrook added, “It’s difficult, teenagers are going to be teenagers wherever you put them – it’s probably no different to what it was like 50 years ago. It’s unpleasant, but I’m not sure CCTV will solve the problem.
“CCTV will only be of use if you can identify somebody and if they causing criminal damage – sadly smoking cannabis and using condoms is not criminal damage. It might be unpleasant, and it’s very anti-social, but it’s not criminal damage. It’s a difficult situation. Whatever we do, we need to talk to GreenSquare.”
In response, Andrew Rossiter, estates services manager at GreenSquare said, “We maintain the areas of public open space in Cranesbill Road. The land is still owned by our developer partners, in advance of its eventual transfer to us, and they put together the original landscaping plans for the area including lighting. We currently have no plans ourselves to install any form of lighting at the playing field, but will raise this matter with the developers as part of ongoing conversations on improvements to the area.”
