Work to improve safety in the Queensway area of Wellingborough is gathering pace as part of an ongoing community safety project funded by the Home Office’s Safer Streets scheme.
Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold was successful in bidding for more than £600,000 to spend on Queensway from the Home Office. This is third time that the Commissioner has been successful in bidding for money from the Safer Streets fund to tackle acquisitive crime such as burglary, bringing the total brought to the county by the Commissioner to more than £3.3 million since 2020.
Improvement works in the project include around 650 new doors for properties in Kiln Way and Minerva Way, which is being done in partnership with Greatwell Homes. Alleys in the Shelley Road area will be gated, while security lighting will be fitted to some properties. There has also been a significant roll out of security products to residents.
Work is underway on the door scheme in Kiln Way, with more than 100 doors fitted so far and approximately 140 left to fit. Four teams are fitting approximately 50 doors a week and the project is set to be completed by March 31.
And 104 properties have been identified to receive security lighting, with the fitting of the lights also expected to be completed by the end of March.
Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said:
“It is great to see this work underway in Queensway, and we thank Greatwell Homes for their partnership in delivering this scheme.
“The doors and security lighting are practical measures that can help to deter crime and anti-social behaviour, and these are issues which residents have told me they want to see dealt with. We want people to feel as safe as they can feel in their homes, and we have been delighted with the number of people who attended our events over the last few months to claim their free security products.
“I look forward to visiting Queensway at the end of March once all the improvements have been made and I feel sure that it will have the same positive impact that our other Safer Streets schemes have all had on their local communities.”
Jo Savage, Chief Executive of Greatwell Homes, added:
“It’s a fundamental human need to feel safe and secure at home.
“We are extremely proud of partnering with the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner again to ensure our customers and other local residents feel safe in their communities. These new doors and lighting will help improve the security in the area and will shape places people are proud to call home.”
The scheme also includes a major extension of North Northamptonshire Council’s CCTV network, with 15 new cameras on the estate, while activity schemes will be provided for young people.
