Angus Housing Association says the safety of some of its Dundee tenants is at risk due to lack of security at derelict blocks awaiting demolition.
Young vandals are said to have been ”plaguing” the Ormiston Crescent area since Dundee City Council began emptying its 40 remaining houses in the Whitfield street. Youngsters have been breaking into the properties, smashing windows and even used rubble as ammunition in a recent attack on firefighters attending a bin fire.
The three remaining Skarne blocks owned by the council have been earmarked for demolition although AHA has submitted proposals to improve two of them, demolish the other and build eight new homes on the site.
Last week, a fire was started in the bin store of the block at 37-52 Ormiston Crescent and firefighters were spat on and had stones thrown at them.
AHA director Bruce Forbes said the blocks have become a magnet for gangs.
”Unfortunately, the impact of fireraising and other acts of vandalism is not restricted to the council’s buildings,” he said. ”Our adjacent property is also under threat but, most importantly, our tenants are having to live with the worry of what they might be subjected to next.”
AHA is unhappy at what it claims to be inadequate security that has been put in place by the council to protect tenants.
Responding to the firefighters story in Friday’s Courier, Mr Forbes said: ”This is just the latest in a series of incidents that have been plaguing the Ormiston Crescent area since Dundee City Council started to empty these blocks.
”We have had serious damage done to our adjacent lock-up garages and some of these have had to be boarded up temporarily.”
He added: ”Of course, I know that some of the youths involved could be living in our houses. If this is the case, I am adding my full support to Inspector Kevin Williams of Tayside Police who has called for the local community to come forward and report the names and addresses of anyone they can identify as perpetrators.
”I can assure our tenants that they can also confidentially report any evidence they have to us. I can also guarantee them that if such reports identify anyone who lives in one of our houses, immediate legal action will be taken against that household.
”I am also writing to the director of housing at Dundee City Council to ask her to review their current security arrangements in Ormiston Crescent.”
A council spokesman said: ”Security measures are put in place in the meantime and the council has been speaking to Tayside Police about the situation.
”Also, city council staff from the local housing office had already arranged multi-agency meetings to discuss any problems that arise in the area. Representatives have attended from council departments as well as the police and fire services and Angus Housing Association. Another of these meetings is scheduled to take place next week.
”We would appeal for anyone with information on any vandalism to contact Tayside Police.”