Anna Lo and the Alliance Party

Lo pleased at Stranmillis College response to disturbance issue

24/06/10

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Following problems involving noise and access restrictions related to students using the Cleaver Avenue gate into Stranmillis College, South Belfast Alliance MLA Anna Lo organised a meeting so that she and residents of the street could discuss the issue with the College's Principal Dr Anne Heaslett. During the meeting, the College told the residents that the gate will be closed between 12 noon and 6am from next September and the College also said a taxi rank would be provided in the campus, to be accessed through the main entrance, to help reduce traffic and noise on Cleaver Avenue. Anna Lo said she is very pleased with the response of the College.

"I am delighted by the commitment from the College that they will close the gate onto Cleaver Avenue between these times. I am extremely pleased that the College is acting positively to address the issues and I am also pleased that the residents were given the opportunity to raise their concerns at the meeting.

It is great news that the College is being constructive and is planning these new measures, like creating a taxi rank in the campus that uses the main entrance and addressing the issue of access to the Cleaver Gate.

"It is very good to see that the College is responsive to the community and I sincerely hope that these measures will help reduce the disturbance to residents and promote goodwill between the community and the students.

"I intend to seek a further meeting to review the situation in a few months to try and ensure that circumstances do improve for the residents of Cleaver Avenue. This positive result shows that when people and organisations work together problems can be overcome and compromises can be reached."