THE Drum Housing Association hopes that a major refurbishment of the substandard accommodation in one of Alton's communal houses for young people will solve many of the major social problems which have been encountered there.
A planning application has been lodged with East Hampshire District Council for the conversion of the accommodation at Elizabeth New House, Drayman's Way from 17 bed-sits into 10 self-contained one-bedroomed flats.
The plan was outlined to town councillors on Alton's planning and transport committee at a meeting last week.
Margaret Kerr, the association's head of housing, told the meeting that the lack of facilities there had caused "a major housing management problem.
"The personal living space is cramped and disturbance is being caused around the shared facilities - baths, showers, toilets, etc.
"During the past two years the residents' profile has been changing. The majority are now between 17 and 20. Many have not lived away from their families before, some have come there out of care, and they find the transition to independent living difficult.
"Work on a lot of problems there involving drug and alcohol abuse is hampered by the alleged intimidation of witnesses.
"There is a link between the standard of accommodation and housing management problems. A lot of the issues would be clearly eliminated by providing self-contained accommodation.
"I am sure most of the residents there would not have chosen to live with shared facilities."
(Continued on page 3 of this week's printed edition)