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An abandoned housing estate formerly for NHS staff now lies in a state of disarray with locals saying it is attracting fly-tippers.
Hospital Close, in Evington, Leicester, has become a “ghost town,” and "left to rot" after hospital workers moved out in 2019.
It has now become a breeding ground for crime and drugs, people living near Leicester General Hospital claim, with some residents saying it is making them feel unsafe.
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They claim that vandals and drug addicts are rife after it was decided by the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust to move out because it could no longer afford the upkeep and modernisation of the homes.
Staff working at the hospital were forced to move out after they were handed eviction notices telling them it was time to move on.
A resident on a neighbouring road, Ashley Lewis, 32, said: "It's quite spooky, to be honest, it's a complete ghost town now.
"It used to be a thriving little community of NHS staff and their families. It's gone from having these angels and life-savers to drug dealers and thugs.
"As people know it's derelict you get people using and selling drugs, boy racers using it as a track and I don't even walk over that way anymore.
"The fly-tipping is just constant, one thing will get dumped and once that's cleared another load will replace it. It's just really sad to see."
Another resident, 69-year-old grandfather-of-two Terry Goldsmith explained: "The place has just been left to rot and it's a real shame.
"You've got the hospital right next to it so it was a perfect place for staff to live. I've lived here 45 years and it was also quite a nice place to be.
"But now it looks like a warzone, the whole place is boarded up and a complete mess. There are no street lights so it's quite frightening.
"The council said it would all be developed but nothing has happened in three years. It's like they have forgotten about it and the remaining residents here."
In March 2021, the street was bought for £10.5million by Leicester City Council under the aim of revamping the area and breathing life back into the community.
It was the plan that 135 affordable homes would eventually be built on the site although these have not yet been built.
A Leicester City Council spokesperson said: “Since the purchase of these vacant former nurses’ homes, we have been working hard to develop the estate to provide 135 new affordable homes.
“We understand residents’ concerns regarding the condition of the site. We are working hard to bring the development forward as soon as possible with work expected to begin early next year.
“We have also put in place a programme of clearance work, along with regular grounds maintenance and 24-hour security to help tackle issues of antisocial behaviour.
“This is an ambitious £17million scheme being delivered in a very challenging economic climate. Once complete, it will provide much needed new housing and help revitalise what was at risk of becoming an abandoned estate.
“In the meantime, we would encourage local residents to let us know of any issues so we can take steps to help address them.”
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