Alleygating begins around Wellingborough's Queensway estate as part of crimefighting project

Work has begun to gate off alleys around homes and the primary school on Wellingborough’s Queensway estate.

It is to help tackle crime and anti-social behaviour as part of the programme of work funded by the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Safer Streets project.

A total of 43 gates will be placed on several alleys that are behind homes, at side entrances and off open spaces – chiefly around the Shelley Road area.

Residents and businesses were consulted before installation of the gates, which will help tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in places where alleys are used to give cover or as escape routes.

Installation of the alley gates has begun and should be completed by the beginning of June.

This is the latest phase of the scheme that has included fitting 594 new doors to 287 properties in Kiln and Minerva Way, fitting security lighting and rolling out security products to residents. This work has been done in conjunction with social housing provider Greatwell Homes.

The final phase of the Queensway Safer Streets project will be the installation of 15 new CCTV cameras, funded by the Commissioner as part of the project but installed and operated by North Northamptonshire Council. That work is also already underway.

Almost £1 million – £689,000 in grant funding and £357,100 in match funding – will have been spent on making the Queensway area more secure as part of the Safer Streets project.

Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said: “I am confident that these gates will have a real impact on crime and make residents feel much more secure and comfortable.

"I also hope they know that we are hearing their concerns and acting upon them.

“We’ve had great success in bidding for money to run projects in communities in Northamptonshire that have been affected by crime and these gates are one more practical measure to help keep people safer and focus on the local priorities that local people want us to tackle.”

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has already carried out Safer Streets projects in Wellingborough, Kettering, and Northampton, where improvements such as the gating of alleyways, increased CCTV, improved lighting and physical security of homes and parking areas were carried out.

A further project tackled violence against women.