Street of shame

And the landlord who owns the flats at the centre of the problem has been told to sort the situation out after councillors refused his expansion plans.

Today he admitted he had some problem tenants but was working to improve the situation -- and accused people of tarring everyone with the same brush.

In the past two years 200 crimes have been reported around the converted old schoolhouse, in Edmund Street, Darwen, including 86 in the street itself.

The catalogue of bad behaviour, which police say is far higher than they would expect, includes juvenile nuisance, burglary, suspicious activity, stealing vehicles, domestic violence and drugs.

Eight homes in the street are now empty. Residents say the owners of some have left after giving up attempts to sell and landlords have stopped letting properties because of the flats.

They said some people who managed to move on sold their homes at half-price to escape. Other families today said they were trapped in houses which had devalued by up to £10,000.

Sixteen self-contained flats were created in the schoolhouse several years ago and councillors have blamed some of the tenants for the area's problems.

The situation was revealed at a planning meeting when the schoolhouse's owner Malcolm Cantor was seeking permission to extend the property by eight flats.

Councillors refused the scheme on the technicality of parking problems as the fear of crime is not a legitimate planning concern.

But Coun Frank Connor, planning chairman, told Mr Cantor that, before he thought about expansion, he should sort out his existing tenants.

He said: "I have seen the heartache that this development has caused residents over the past four years.

"There are now eight houses on the street up for sale, about 20 per cent of the houses on the street.

"Police say 86 crimes have been recorded in that street in the last two years and much of it is because of the anti-social behaviour of the tenants there.

"These are people who are quiet and respectful and just want to get on with their lives. But they have been selling their homes for less than half price to get away."

The residents, 10 of whom attended the meeting with a 180-name petition, want Mr Cantor to improve the flats so that he can attract a "better cliental."

Kathryn Turner, 39, has lived in Edmund Street for 16 years and has two children.

She said: "No one can sell their house, we have all lost around £10,000 in value from our properties.

"Landlords cannot even be bothered to rent their houses because no one wants to live here."

Mum-of-one Alison Pomfret, 28, an Edmund Street resident of 10 years, said: "I want to move but I don't think I'll get as much for my home as I paid 10 years ago."

Coun Paul Browne said: "We need to make a stand as save the residents from any more time on what really is Nightmare Street."

Janet Anderson MP said: "The police have the mechanism to tackle these problems with anti-social behavioural orders. These could be used in this case."

Mr Cantor, based in Manchester, vowed to appeal, and said: "The council have acted disgracefully. I have had a couple of problem tenants but we are trying to get them evicted at the moment. They are just tarring everyone with the same brush.

"We are now asking for references before anyone moves in and will be fully refurbishing the existing flats.

"Refusing it because of traffic is just a bad smokescreen."

Police today refused to comment as the officer who organises the policing around the schoolhouse is off duty until Saturday.

Coun Dave Smith said at the meeting: "We can't refuse this development because of fear of crime, because that is not a planning concern. If we could, we would."