Closure order for Haverhill address after 12 incidents in three months

21 May 2025

A court order has been issued after violent drug fuelled anti-social behaviour at a house in Haverhill, saw Suffolk Police called to 12 incidents in the last three months.

The private rented property in Glemsford Place has been made the subject of a closure order effectively banning the tenants and their associates from the property. 

West Suffolk Council successfully applied for the court order following partnership work with Suffolk Police.

It follows complaints from 16 different households in the area including reports of fights spilling out of the property into the street.

The tenants were given warnings by police at the beginning of the year and after the reports from neighbours continued, a community protection notice was served – which has since been breached several times. 

The closure order was granted at Ipswich Magistrates Court on Thursday last week (15 May 2025).  It’s only the second time that the council has applied for an order to in relation to a privately rented property. It bans anyone apart from the landlord and her agents from entering the property for three months. Anyone else who does so could be imprisoned or fined.

Cllr Donna Higgins, Cabinet Member for Families and Communities, said: “This is never something that we take lightly but residents do have a right to feel safe and to be able to enjoy their own home. The fact that the police have been called out to this address on a dozen occasions in just three months, have given the tenants warnings, and had served community protection notices which have been breached numerous times, shows that every avenue has been tried. Enough is enough and we hope this brings peace at last to the residents living in this area.”

Inspector Ben Hollands said: "This is a great example of solid and coordinated partnership working in response to a situation that was causing considerable distress and anxiety to neighbours. To secure this closure order also sends out a clear and strong message to other disruptive residents that the authorities will take action if necessary."

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