Meeting to be held over Swilly Park issues

That was the opinion of one Portstewart resident speaking at last Monday’s meeting of Portstewart Vision The Community Forum.

The issue of anti-social behaviour in the Swilly Park area was raised and one of the members gave an update saying that a number of meeting has been facilitated by local councillor Alderman Maura Hickey.

The meetings, involving various agencies, had tried to find common ground among residents.

It was reported that a notice to quit had been served on a number of families but these had been withdrawn on legal advice.

It is believed that there will be another inter-agency meeting to discuss what options remain and that residents will be afforded the opportunity to meet with the agencies.

One resident at the meeting in Portstewart Minor Town Hall said that he was keen for this area of Portstewart to be restored to the “law abiding peaceful area it has been for the last 15 years.”

“We need to restore the status quo,” he said.

“It is bad for this area when other areas are using Swilly Park as an example of how not to use social housing.”

However, another audience member said that he didn’t agree with labelling everyone in the Swilly Park area as there are law abiding people still living there.

Chairing the meeting, Cliodhna Rae of the Community Forum, said that the housing association involved in the area has learned lessons from the Swilly Park incidents.

Local MP Gregory Campbell who was at the meeting said that he had attended a meeting in Portballintrae recently and that Swilly was mentioned as an example of what they don’t want to happen in their area.