COMMUNITY NEEDS TO WORK TOGETHER

TODAY’S front page report on anti-social behaviour in Kingsway will be greeted by many as just another nail in the estate’s coffin.

Ever since families began moving on to the development in 2006, tales of trouble have been rife.

Whenever a story on the area appears on our website, people express their belief that the whole area is full of social rejects, who spend their days smoking, drinking, and living off benefits.

The amount of social housing in the estate has grown as the developers have struggled to sell the properties during the recession.

It is often this element that gets blamed for the anti-social problems Kingsway faces.

However, the vast majority of those properties, like the private homes, are filled with decent families trying to contribute to community life in the new estate.

In fact, the biggest problem the estate faces is the lack of infrastructure to help create a community spirit.

The area, which will eventually have more than 2,600 homes, does not possess a shop.

There is no pub, and the community centre for the area is situated in Quedgeley at present.

There is still building work continuing throughout the area, creating an ‘unfinished’ feel for residents.

However, many residents are working to change this perception.

Barry Kirby, chairman of the local residents association, has worked hard alongside his fellow committee members to bring the community together.

Events like the recent ‘Big Lunch’ work brilliantly to bring people together, and to get neighbours talking to each other.

The association has also worked with the estate’s developers and local councillors to try and build a real sense of community spirit in the estate.

It is this hard work that will create some pride in Kingsway, which in turn will lead to many of the problems we report on today being solved.

Kingsway does have its problems, and they are problems that need tackling urgently.

That can partly be done by developers creating a shopping centre, or a pub, and providing a community hub for residents.

However, the rest of the work must be done by residents of Kingsway.

It is down to them to follow the example set by the residents association, and work together to improve the image of the area in order to create a real community spirit on Gloucester’s newest estate.