Villagers to draw up 'battle plan' for Waterfoot rehab centre (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Villagers to draw up 'battle plan' for Waterfoot rehab centre

8:30pm Sunday 8th July 2012 in Rossendale By Vanessa Cornall, Crime reporter

ANGRY residents are drawing up 'battle plans' against a proposed drug rehabilitation centre in Waterfoot.

Members of Waterfoot Forward are inviting residents to discuss their issues and demand answers from Rossendale Council at a public meeting on Tuesday night.

Concerns have been mounting since plans were first announced three weeks ago to home drug addicts in the centre of the village.

If planning permission is approved, East Lancashire charity Inspire will open an abstinence unit, with space for six recovered substance abusers in Bacup Road next month.

Villagers are ‘annoyed’ they have not been consulted more about the move.

Chris Smith, a member of Waterfoot Forward, said: “The whole village is seething at the way these plans have been swept underneath the carpet.

“We are expecting around 100 people at the meeting, which will hopefully enable us to form a battle plan.

“A lot of people have invested time and money in to Waterfoot and we are concerned about the type of people a centre like this will attract now and in the future.

“We want as many people as possible to attend the meeting and show the council, if they attend, just how strong our strength of feeling is.”

A planning application has been submitted to Rossendale Council to transform the old Glen Valley guest house into the new unit.

The centre will be under constant supervision by a 24-hour caretaker, alongside other full-time support workers and a manager.

Waterfoot Forward have also invited representatives from Inspire and Rossendale Council to the meeting, which starts at 7.30pm at the Waterfoot Social Club, in Ashworth Street.

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