Saturday, January 20, 2007

Shirley Road Needle Exchange Not To Go Ahead

Earlier this month city planners gave the green light for a drug treatment centre at 14-20 Shirley Road. The Society of St James was granted planning permission for a new drop in service for drug users in Southampton.

Cllr Brian Parnell and I met with the Society of St James to discuss the application in advance of the planning meeting. We raised lots of concerns such as whether it was a suitable location, whether it would mean increased drug litter in the area and where it would increase dealing in the area. We received some very reassuring answers to our questions.

The site would have catered for the City's 1,400 hard drugs users. However the landlord of 14-20 Shirley Road has decided against using the premises for this purpose and so it will not now go ahead. The Society will now search for an alternative site.

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