A RETIRED widow claims she has been made a prisoner in a home she will never be able to sell due to the creation of a residents' meeting place across the road.

Irene Robinson, of Doyle Road, Hunger Hill, is terrified that a new residents' association meeting place will cause disruption, noise, litter and problems with parking.

The 53-year-old mother of two is also worried that, as a consequence, the value of the home she bought with her late husband from the council will plummet, leaving her unable to move away.

Her concern surrounds a ground floor flat which councillors recently gave the go-ahead to be converted into a "meeting room for the residents' association".

Mrs Robinson said: "The application is for the room to be open 365 days a year. It is going to be open for teenagers, youth meetings, bingo, keep fit classes and as a shop.

"People are going to be coming and going at all hours, parking is going to be horrendous. There is bound to be general litter caused, more of a disturbance and noise.

"I will no longer be able to sit out in the garden at the front of the house when the sun is out and my son, who works nights, will have to move to the back bedroom to get some peace.

"The meeting place will be attracting teenagers who will congregate on the street outside my home.

"I understand the need for a meeting place for the residents' association which teenagers can go to, but not when it is going to ruin my quality of life.

"I have opposed the change of use all the way along but to no avail.

"How will I ever be able to sell my house? I am a prisoner because I own my home."

Residents' Association spokesman Jean Mulvaney said letters putting residents' minds at rest about the activities due to take place in the meeting room had been sent out. She said: "There will be no noisy activities taking place after 7.30pm, it will not be open on Sunday mornings, and there will always be an adult on the premises.

"There will be definitely be no litter or excessive noise. It will be ruled with a rod of iron.

"There are only one or two people who have expressed concern about the meeting place, yet we have 180 other properties on this estate and the kids here need something."

Addressing Mrs Robinson's concerns about parking, she added: "The room will only be used by people living on the estate, so they won't be travelling to it by car."

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