Should you be worried about a plan for drug addicts' clinic in Tunstall?

PLANS have been submitted to open a drug and alcohol addiction clinic on the outskirts of a busy town centre.

Charity Crime Reduction Initiative (CRI) wants to run the centre from an empty building on the corner of Roundwell Street and Forster Street, in Tunstall.

It would be the first rehabilitation clinic of its kind in the north of the city and will provide addiction therapies and treatments to patients with hard drug and alcohol problems.

The services have been commissioned by Stoke-on-Trent Drug and Alcohol Action Team and are centrally funded by Stoke-on-Trent Primary Care Trust.

In its planning application to Stoke-on-Trent City Council, CRI states: "The programmes are structured to help people achieve lasting changes in their life and put an end to their drug misuse and offending lifestyle.

"Regular testing is part of the programme to ensure an abstinence approach is maintained.

"We like to engage not only with our clients, but with our neighbours and wider community. We have evidence that our presence has provided a positive difference to the areas we operate in."

Staff would be present at the clinic between 8am and 6.30pm and clients between 10am and 4pm, who would attend by appointment only.

The ground floor would be dedicated to client services and include a series of counselling rooms. The first floor would have a mix of counselling rooms and general office space, and the second floor would be space for staff only.

Staff would have personal alarms linked to police response units and all clients would be risk-assessed.

CCTV would monitor the outside and service users would be "strongly discouraged" from gathering outside the building and in surrounding areas.

The applicant is seeking an eight-year lease on the building.

But people near the proposed rehabilitation centre have raised concerns about safety, and the impact it will have on businesses in the area.

Hannah Lovatt, manager at Hair Connection and Beauty, in Roundwell Street, is opposing the idea.

The 35-year-old said: "It will only make people stay away from the area, which will be bad for our business and others.

"I appreciate this sort of thing has to go somewhere, but I have to oppose it if I think it will impact on my shop."

Roundwell Street resident Corine Robins, aged 39, said: "I'm a bit concerned because it would be on my doorstep and I don't want any trouble."

Councillor Terry Follows, cabinet member for community safety, cohesion and communications, said: "The new centre would be the first of its kind in the north of the city and will support the work already done."

A decision is expected in April and consultation runs until March 26.