Fourth Colchester home is closed to prevent drug activity

Officers have closed 9 Hunwicke Road, Colchester, to visitors after a court order was granted.

Colchester Borough Homes manage the flat and a spokesman confirmed they would be attempting to take the property back in the near future.

He said: “Following complaints of drugs-related anti-social behaviour at 9 Hunwicke Road, Greenstead, we were left with no option but to serve a full closure order on the property and also to seek a possession order.

“We take reports of nuisance and intimidation very seriously and will simply not tolerate behaviour of this type in any of the homes we manage.

“This action shows we are committed to working with the police to support safer communities and safeguard the quality of life of residents.”

This is the fourth closure order in Colchester the Gazette has learned about in the past fortnight but there is no deliberate increased usage of the legislation in place.

Two properties in the Dutch Quarter are among those where the order has been granted - at 9 Taylor Court in St Helen’s Lane and 9 Roger Browning House in Maidenburgh Street.

Concerns were raised about the latter after a teenager was stopped outside and found to be in possession of cannabis, cash and a wooden bat.

The order for 17 Bakery Place in Magdalen Street was granted at Colchester Magistrates’ Court earlier this week.

Unusually, the tenants had backed the plan saying they had been cuckooed and exploited by drug dealers.

Other residents reported they have been kept up in the night, threatened and even attacked by people linked to drug taking who often congregated in the car park.

Used needles, vomit and excrement was even found in communal areas.

Closure orders usually stop people from visiting the properties unless they are tenants, emergency services, care workers or from the housing association.

Breaching them is a criminal offence and could even result in a prison sentence.