The residents of a Carryduff social housing development say it has been named "shameless green" due to rampant violent anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and disorder.
Killynure Green, which is run by Choice Housing Association, has been described as a "street from hell" by residents who say they are scared to let their children outside due to the "constant chaos" beyond their front doors. They say over the past few years, residents have been attacked and intimidated, cars have been burnt out, homes criminally damaged and "erratic drug and drink-fuelled rampages" are a common occurrence.
They also say there have been multiple incidents with armed police descending on the street, police searching bins for weapons including possible firearms and a man who escaped from prison hiding in someone's home, plus an allegation that a convicted paedophile was given a property opposite a playpark in 2015.
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Belfast Live spoke with a number of current and former residents of the street who said that while the majority of those living there are "lovely people and families", there are a handful of properties that are making people's lives hell and they cannot understand why the issues are being "completely ignored" by the police and Choice.
A former resident said they were "almost suicidal" due to the constant anti-social behaviour in the street and when they informed Choice about this through an email, it was completely ignored.
One person said: "People don't believe me when I tell them about just how bad this place is to live. It feels like almost every day that something is going on, whether it is people fighting or brandishing weapons in the street or people shouting the most obscene things in front of children in the middle of the day.
"There is constant drug dealing going on which is clear as day for everyone to see and people are terrified to let their children out of their front doors because they don't know what might happen to them or what they might see."
Belfast Live has seen video footage of one recent incident on Saturday, April 5, where a man was seen shouting obscenities and threats in the street and claiming he has "a mutual agreement with the police and can do what he wants as long as he touts". He then walks towards a property where residents say the man smashed one of its windows.
A police car arrives on the scene a short time later, where the man is scene involved in an altercation with officers at the front of a property. An ambulance arrives following this, but the man escapes from officers and is chased through a nearby children's playpark.
Police have said that this incident was a "concern for safety" and they also say they received a report regarding criminal damage to the rear window of a property on Killynure Green at 7.20pm.
A PSNI spokesperson said: "Police received a report of a concern for safety in the Killynure Green area of Carryduff at approximately 5.50pm on Saturday, 5th April. There’s no further detail regarding this incident.
"Another matter concerning criminal damage was reported in the same area at approximately 7.20pm later that evening.
"We would reiterate our earlier appeal for information concerning the report of criminal damage. Enquiries are ongoing at this time."
Residents say the police and housing association have been ignoring the problems in Killynure Green for years and they cannot understand why no action has been done to address the issue. They say any report made to Choice 'falls on deaf ears' and feel they are in breach of their own anti-social behaviour policy.
Another resident said: "I am sick of the hostility, the violence and constantly being let down by Choice, the police and councillors. I know I am not the only one. People are too scared to speak up, and honestly I get it because of the threats that have been made and because no one wants anything being brought to their door, but enough is enough.
"There are assaults happening in the middle of the day, morning and night. I am talking physically as well as verbal.
"There are cars burnt out, people threatened, windows put through and Choice does absolutely nothing and you have to question what the police are playing at. Residents here are convinced there must be some protection agreement because it is the only way to explain how some people seem to get away with things.
"Residents of Carryduff and shop owners are fed up with it too. It has brought Carryduff down. Even Taxi drivers call it Shamless Green and skid row.
"To think that more Choice Housing is going to be allocated soon on the Ballynahinch Road in Carryduff is crazy! They need to tighten up on all of these issues before even considering allocating these houses. The problem is only going to get bigger for the community of Carryduff."
A Choice Housing spokesperson said: "The safety and well-being of all our tenants is our top priority. We currently have no active anti-social behaviour cases at Killynure Green, and any previous incidents have been addressed promptly and appropriately in accordance with our Anti-Social Behaviour Policy.
“Choice works closely with tenants in the area and as part of our ongoing community engagement, we host monthly resident hubs and actively participate in interagency meetings.
“We cannot comment on individual cases due to tenant confidentiality however, we take all reports – and the safety and wellbeing of our tenants – very seriously and will continue to work in partnership with the local community.”
Residents have branded this statement as "laughable" and says it clearly shows how the housing association is not taking their concerns seriously.
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