The residents of Forsyth Gardens, in Bournemouth, have expressed their frustrations after tall hedges, providing them with a level of of privacy and safety on their properties, were removed by BCP Council.
The hedges once stood as a barrier between people’s properties and a public walkway leading to Slades Farm. However, now they’ve been removed and residents are sharing their concerns.
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It’s understood that the hedges were removed by the council earlier this month without any warning and that the decision was made to help combat anti-social behaviour and suspected drug use in the area.
John, Grant, David and Matthew, who are all residents in the Forsyth Gardens’ buildings, said the removal of the hedges has only caused problems and in a bid to create some privacy, they have assembled their own kind of fence.
They discussed issues with safety and an increase in residents feeling vulnerable, as they don’t believe the removal has had an impact on the anti-social behaviour.
Grant said: “They [residents] don’t feel safe with these hedges coming down.
“We may as well be living on the field.”
David added: “There’s no safety anymore.”
John, Grant, David and Matthew (Image: NQ)
The residents discussed how dogs are regularly off the lead in the area and are now able to go into people’s garden spaces, with their owners failing to pick up after them.
Matthew said: “We feel exposed, we are basically living on the field.”
Despite the works taking place around March 5, residents received their first communications from the council on March 24.
In a letter from BCP Homes, residents were told that following complaints of drug-related anti-social behaviour in the alleyway, they sought to establish the cost of the removal of the hedges with the aim to make the area more open.
It was reported that a quote was sought and the next thing BCP Homes knew, the hedges were being removed.
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Seamus Doran, head of BCP Homes, said: “We are consulting with residents of Forsyth Gardens after hedges were removed from a pathway earlier this month to reduce anti-social behaviour.
“We have offered three options to address residents’ concerns and encouraged them to share their own proposals to ensure their voices are heard and the space suits their needs.
“We will continue to take proactive steps to reduce ASB and make sure everyone feels safe in our communities.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the removal of the hedges and remain committed to ensuring our residents have pride in their neighbourhoods.”
Discussing anti-social behaviour in the area, a spokesperson for Dorset Police said: “We are committed to tackling anti-social behaviour in Slades Farm and will work relentlessly to reduce incidents for the community.
“We would also like to reaffirm to the residents of Slades Farm and the wider Bournemouth area the important role they play in stopping ASB in its tracks.”