Two Chesterfield properties given closure orders after suspected illegal drug activity and anti-social behaviour

A full closure order was granted, and the tenants evicted, for the property on Jackson Avenue, and a partial closure order was granted at a property on Sales Avenue, meaning only the occupant can remain.

The three month long orders were granted at Chesterfield Justice Centre.

A case was built after Derbyshire Police received a number of reports relating to those addresses, and complaints from residents were made to North East Derbyshire District Council, Rykneld Homes and North East Derbyshre Community Safety Partnership about the tenants and their visitors appearing to be drug dealing and in a ‘drugged state’ in and around their homes.

Councillor Jeff Lilley, North East Derbyshire District Council’s cabinet member for community safety, said: “This is the first time in Derbyshire two closure orders have been obtained simultaneously, so that shows how serious the problem is. The closure orders follow a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour, reports of drug supply and taking over recent months.

“The news of these orders will be music to local residents’ ears as they can now get back to a normal life. A life without the fear of intimidation or constant anti-social behaviour that has plagued them for so long.”

Inspector Rob Bowns, who is in charge of the North East Derbyshire Local Policing Unit, said: “This is a great result for those living nearby these properties and the wider community, and is a good example of what we can achieve by working together with local residents, the council, housing providers and other agencies.

“It would have been difficult to obtain the orders without the cooperation of the local community help and I’d like to thank them for their support. I hope that other people will be encouraged by this positive result, which will act as an example of how people can make a difference to their local area by working with us.”

The court granted the orders as they believed that the use of the premises has resulted in serious nuisance to members of the public and the orders are necessary to prevent the nuisance and disorder from continuing.

Coun Lilley added: "These type of court actions do take time as we have to go through the proper legal processes, but it does show that we do listen to people and we do take action.

“I would like to thank all the residents’ and officers involved as without them we would not have had achieved this successful outcome.”

To report concerns about the misuse of drugs, suspicious activity or anti-social behaviour please get in touch using one of the following non-emergency contact methods.

Call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.