Willenhall residents’ plea as derelict building fires cause misery

Those living on New Hall Street and Moat Street in Willenhall are at the heart of a huge regeneration project which will see 107 new homes delivered.

But the area as it stands now is dominated by derelict buildings that have become a magnet for antisocial behaviour.

Walsall Council recently secured a Compulsory Purchase Order for properties in the area, and is currently going through the acquisition process before demolition works can start.

Residents say fires happen ‘twice a week’, motorbikes roar up and down the greenway running parallel to the properties, and people engage in drug related activities.

They said the problem has gotten worse over the last twelve months and is exacerbated during the school holidays.

Residents, who wished to remain anonymous out of fear of being targeted themselves, and Willenhall South councillor Simran Cheema have called on Walsall Council and West Midlands Police to step in.

One of the residents, who has lived there for six years with her young child, said: “It’s a constant nightmare.

“We see them come in, it’s the same people, teenagers. They think it’s funny. It’s worse during holidays and nice weather.

“It’s constant noise, with the fire brigade, people shouting ‘there’s another fire’, people knocking doors.

“It was quiet when we first moved in and now I cannot wait to get out.

“There’s fires, constant drug dealing in the street, motorbikes at the back constantly going up and down.

“We want the council to knock them down as quickly as possible and for somebody to sort the anti-social behaviour behind the back fences. We would like CCTV and police patrolling the area.”

Another resident said: “We need more police presence around here. The fires are just ridiculous. The motorbikes at the back are constant, the kids run riot.

“We recognise them. It’s always the same ones. They’re in a large gang. I don’t like coming out here at night. It’s not very safe.

“It’s really hard to make use of your back gardens, if you do you either get the smoke from the fires or the noise from the kids on the motorbikes, we just stay inside.”

Councillor Simran Cheema said there were two fires on Sunday, April 27 and one on Monday April 28.

She has called on Walsall Council to secure the buildings to stop them being targeted.

Councillor Cheema said: “The first thing that needs doing is to secure it around the whole thing, front and back.

“The issues are normally round the front where people get in but now you can access from the rear.

“I am extremely concerned about the impact of these fires on the residents.”

Councillor Adrian Andrew, deputy leader of Walsall Council, said: “I understand that the antisocial behaviour associated with the derelict sites in Willenhall is concerning for residents but please be assured we are using our powers as a council to acquire, secure and ultimately develop them into new housing.

“We are now in the final stages of our compulsory purchase order in Willenhall.

“It has been a long process, but we are close to the finish line now and we expect to have contractors on-site in May. We will do what we can to make the area as safe as possible until construction starts.”

A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: “We are aware of antisocial behaviour arising from derelict buildings on New Hall Street in Willenhall.

“We do have officers regularly patrolling the area and we are working alongside our partners including West Midlands Fire Service and Walsall Council to try and combat the issues.

“Residents are invited to come along to a Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meeting at Holy Trinity Church in Short Heath, on Friday (May 2), between 6pm and 8pm, where they can discuss this issue and any others affecting our communities.”

West Midlands Fire Service said two recent fires were started deliberately.

A spokesperson said: “Shortly before 3pm on Sunday 27 April, we responded to Cemetery Road, at the junction of Moat Street in Willenhall.

“A fire engine from Willenhall and a fire engine from Bilston responded, the first arriving within four minutes of being mobilised.

“This was a small fire in a single-storey derelict factory. One hose reel was used to extinguish the fire, which is believed to have been started deliberately. Crews left the scene at 3.53pm.

“Shortly before 4pm on Monday 28 April, we responded to Moat Street, Willenhall.

“A fire engine from Willenhall and a fire engine from Bilston responded, arriving to find a fire on the ground floor of a single-storey derelict factory.

“This was a fire, believed to have been started deliberately, affecting a small amount of rubbish. Firefighters extinguished the fire using a hose reel. Crews left the scene shortly before 5.20pm.”