Weymouth church passageway to be closed off to prevent 'public nuisance'
The alley at Holy Trinity has been used for sex and drug taking
A church passageway in Weymouth, reported to have been used for sex, as a urinal and for drug taking is to be closed at night.
The alley at Holy Trinity, close to Weymouth Harbour, will have security gates re-fitted at either end to prevent long-running public nuisance problems.
Gates had originally be installed as part of the Grade 2 listed building, but are believed to have been removed as part of the war effort and never replaced.
The passage is not part of the public highway and is classed as a private thoroughfare so can, legally, be closed.
The church, dating from 1834, is a dominant Weymouth landmark overlooking the Town Bridge and alongside Chapelhay Steps.
A planning agent acting for the Church said:
“The passage is open to the public and for many years has been the site of social disturbance, providing a covered area for homeless persons, drug taking and the drinking of alcohol. This has resulted in church and council operatives having to clean out the passage most days to ensure that it is safe.
"Soliciting and prostitution has also been witnessed in the passage. In order to ensure that this disturbance is brought to an end the church proposes that the gates are reinstated at each end of the passage in their original positions. Evidence of the original positions of the gates still remains, the two west gate hooks and one of the east gate hooks are still in position.”
The new gates, made of galvanised metal, will be hung to enable an emergency exit, opening outwards, from the church crypt but will not be capable of being opened from the outside.
They are to be painted black and are said by planning experts to be in keeping with the church and surrounding area.
Ward councillor Brian Heatley has backed the church plans saying:
“The passage has attracted various forms of anti-social behaviour for some time, and the gates should put a stop to it.
"The footway at ground level above the passageway provides a perfectly acceptable alternative route.”