Drug centre plan abandoned (From Gazette & Herald)

Drug centre plan abandoned

CONTROVERSIAL plans to locate a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in a small North Yorkshire village have been shelved.

The centre, which was to be situated at Redcar Farm, in the grounds of Ampleforth College, sparked angry opposition from residents who said they would be threatened by potential drug dealers visiting the area.

Alpha Project Development & Management, the company behind the proposal, announced that it was dropping the plans and looking elsewhere for a site - somewhere in North Yorkshire - because the consultation process with residents would take too long.

Residents welcomed the news, saying Alpha had made the right decision in pulling out of the area.

Under Alpha's plans, the centre would have provided rehabilitation for drug and alcohol users in a secure, peaceful environment.

Hundreds of residents packed out a public meeting in December to register their concerns directly to the Abbot of Ampleforth College, the Right Reverend Timothy Wright.

In a letter to the abbot, Alpha director Colin Bland said: "As the Abbot of Ampleforth, you have an obligation to the local community and are not at liberty to make a decision without a thorough process of research and consultation," he writes.

"I believe that the time needed to reach such a decision will take too long for the funding which we have secured."

The Abbot of Ampleforth expressed his sadness over the fact that it would be impossible to go ahead with the project.

In a letter of reply to Mr Bland he says: "I would not have allowed you to take it this far if I really thought it added to the risks in the locality, particularly as the numbers wanting to break their addiction increase.

"As a Christian community, we have an obligation to make our facilities available as best we can to help those in greatest need.

"You are doing excellent, much needed work and I am sorry we were not able to provide the support you need and deserve at this moment."

But resident Steve Smallman, said plans for the centre were flawed from the start.

"We were concerned the people using the centre would attract the wrong sort of visitors such as drug dealers," he said.

"There are a number of residents, especially the elderly, who were worried that they would feel threatened if this centre was built.

"Policing in the Ampleforth and Gilling areas is not strong enough to deal with any incidents which might have arisen from the patients at this centre.

"Similarly if any of them needed hospital treatment it was not the ideal place because it is so far away from York."

The Rev David Newton, of the local parish church, said many residents would welcome the decision.

"I was concerned on their behalf and wanted them to be kept fully informed of what was being proposed and that there should be an informed debate on the matter," he added.

"This has now happened and I am sure many people will welcome this decision."

Ryedale District Councillor for Ampleforth Coun James Bailey agreed with the decision. He said: "I'm sure that the right decision has been taken in this instance; but there is no room for complacency with regard to drugs, and anyone's child or family could become a victim."

He said a recent article published suggested that the average heroin addict steals to the value of £11,000 a year which shows another example of the damage drugs have in society.

"Fear provoked the strength of opposition to this proposal and justifiably so. Yet fear alone will not will not protect communities from the curse of drug addiction.

"It must be a priority to find and punish those who supply and promote drugs to young people, and also to make youngsters aware of the facts and dangers of drug taking to help them understand and resist the temptations that they may become exposed to the issue has bought this taboo subject into the open and it's promoters deserve some credit for that.

Updated: 10:21 Friday, February 02, 2001