Drug addicts will not be allowed to “take over” a revamped Lochee High Street, a local councillor has pledged.
The shopping area is undergoing an expensive make-over that Dundee City Council hopes will restore its fortunes and lead to the regeneration of a down-at-heel community.
One proposal in the council’s “master plan” is a park to the west of High Street, where Bank Street used to be before planners decided it should be replaced by flats and shops.
However, some have concerns that instead of becoming a centre for families, the park will become a haven for drug abusers sleeping off their methadone prescriptions, or even topping them up with injections of heroin.
The Dundee suburb has for years been bedevilled by drug addicts who visit chemists for heroin substitute prescriptions and then hang around High Street where they are, in many cases unintentionally, an intimidating presence.
The atmosphere in the Highgate shopping centre plunged to such a low through the presence of addicts that it became a virtual no-go area for many local residents.
One elderly woman who has lived in the area for almost 50 years said, “When I saw the park, the first thing that went through my mind was how long might it take before we start finding needles lying around there.
“I don’t think much will change if they do the place up but the same people are still getting their drugs from the chemist and then walking about in a daze.”
Councillor Tom Ferguson, who has supported efforts to drive the regeneration package forward, said he would work to ensure the parkland was used by the community and not drug addicts.
“We have to create some sort of open space in front of the library to provide a feeling of community,” he said.
“The idea that this park will be used for anything other than its intended purpose will not be allowed to happen.”
Mr Ferguson said the council had already taken steps to cut down on “rat runs” between properties that were used by people peddling drugs.CrackdownMeetings would have to take place between the community, police and planners to determine the best ways of ensuring that Lochee is wrested back from the anti-social element.
He added, “There’s no way we are just going to hand it over to these people.”
Councillor Will Dawson, Dundee city development convener, said the police’s community engagement team had already overcome some of the drugs-related issues of which residents have complained in the past and a number of arrests have been made.
The feedback received is that the High Street is now a better place.
He added, “The master plan and regeneration will also help to get rid of the rat runs and areas within Lochee that can be used by anyone involved in drugs and should open up the area significantly making it a much more attractive space.
“The park space will be open and effectively overlooked so therefore we would hope that it should not be used for any other purpose than the one it is designed for.
“However, I agree with Councillor Ferguson’s remarks in that this facility will be for the people of the area and should allow the heart to come back into the community.
“Should residents have further fears now that the community engagement team have moved on to another area then they should be reporting these.
“Many times people fear reporting these problems, as they think that the police will have to come and visit them, however the information can be left confidentially with Crimestoppers or the Tayside police non-emergency number.
“Alternatively, have a chat with the community safety wardens and they can pass the information on, so that it can be acted upon.”