Drug user fears over plan for pharmacy

Members of Hull Council's planning committee will consider Citycare's proposals for the new building off the roundabout on Diadem Road and Staveley Road tomorrow.

The building will house a Lloyds pharmacy, which will move from nearby Greenwich Avenue, as well as a dental surgery.

The plans are being recommended for approval but a neighbour has objected "due to the amount of drug users congregating outside and around the vicinity while waiting for the pharmacy to open to get their methadone".

The objector adds: "This is already the situation on Greenwich Avenue shops around the corner and this poses an increased security risk to the neighbouring property and contents, which have already suffered burglaries."

Lloydspharmacy said it was not aware of any problems.

A statement said: "All services currently offered at our pharmacy in Greenwich Avenue, including supervised methadone, will be available following the proposed relocation to Bilton Grange Health Centre.

"We have not had any reported complaints and are not aware of any issues about patients who are receiving methadone treatment congregating outside our pharmacy in Greenwich Avenue.

"We therefore don't foresee this being an issue following relocation."

Planners are recommending that the application – which includes a security fence to the rear – is given the green light.

Referring to the neighbour's concerns, it says: "This is a material consideration but on balance it is considered that with suitable policing and boundary treatments, crime could be reduced."