Fears of ‘violent and sexual crime’ after council approve homeless hostel

Twm Owen Local Democracy Reporter

A homeless hostel approved for a Gwent town will see “violent and sexual crime become a part of everyday life”, it has been claimed. 

The warning, from a serving police officer speaking as a local resident, was given to councillors who agreed to the change of use plan for a former old people’s home close to a children’s nursery. 

Severn View Care Home in Chepstow closed in March this year and owners Monmouthshire County Council has been given permission by its planning committee to use the 32 bed building as a hostel to house 17 homeless people currently in bed and breakfast accommodation. 

It received 159 written objections from the public and its its change of use application was also opposed by Chepstow Town Council.

“Wrong location”

Local resident Simon Hicks, who told Monmouthshire County Council’s planning committee he works as a detective with South Wales Police, the former care home was the “wrong location”. 

He said homeless people “deserve basic rights and a decent place to live” but as a serving officer in Cardiff was concerned about “safeguarding” of local residents and those living in the proposed hostel. 

He said hostel residents would be “extremely vulnerable” and likely to have issues with drugs and alcohol with such accommodation targeted by organised crime gangs. 

He described the council’s proposal for two security guards on site for 24 hours as inadequate and said: “It isn’t just low anti-social behaviour, open drug use and noise complaints it’s machete attacks as various gangs compete to sell drugs.” 

He also said a hostel in Cardiff last year had more rape investigations linked to it than any other address in the city and said blame doesn’t lie with the vulnerable but “those who come to seek to exploit the vulnerability”. 

Harm

Mr Hicks told the committee: “Severn View is 500 metres from the Dell Primary School, where children and parents will walk past, next door to the Riverside Day Nursery where zero to five-year-olds currently play outside in the direct line of sight of this home. 

“I realise it is cost-effective for the council but please understand the grouping together of these vulnerable people in a place where they can be easily exploited will permanently harm the communities of Chepstow.  

“I’ve seen this with my own eyes in Cardiff, we do not want violent crime in Chepstow. We do not want drug related deaths, drug runners, children being used to deal and transport drugs. We do not want violent and sexual crime becoming a part of everyday life in Chepstow. The creation of this home will bring this.” 

“Lack of community engagement”

Emily Shooter, who said she lives next to the home, criticised “a lack of community engagement” on the planned use and the planning documents provided as well as the impact on the area. 

Conservative councillor for Chepstow Mount Pleasant Paul Pavia said it had been understood when Severn View closed, with a new home having opened in Portskewett, the council would sell the site for affordable housing. 

Head of planning Craig O’Connor said the committee had to consider the “land use” and many issues could be addressed through management, with council representatives having outlined steps including CCTV and security and support to be provided on site.  It will house people already living in Chepstow, with a connection to Monmouthshire, who could stay for between six to 19 months.

He told the committee the home had been used for people to sleep in and thought the application was for a change of use “it is still sleeping people”. 

Officers also said residents will use the pedestrian entrance, from Regents Way, which is a busy road, and the Mounton Road access will only be for vehicles. Only the south wing of the building is subject to the applicaiton and its north wing could be used by the council for another service, possibly meals on wheels. 

Abergavenny Conservative councillor Maureen Powell supported the application and said she had been homeless when her marriage to a farmer broke up and she and her children had to leave the farm house. 

She said: “Just because people are homeless it doesn’t mean to say they are doing drugs or are knife throwers or whatever. Many become homeless for different reasons. In 1976 I was homeless, my marriage broke up.” 

The application was approved with 13 votes in favour and one against.