RESIDENTS of Lampeter do not wish ‘to see it become a sink town for criminals as has happened in other areas’ town councillors were told on Thursday.

Residents of Bryn Road and Bryn yr Eglwys who are fighting the proposed demolition of the town’s former Ffynnonbedr Primary School received the backing of town councillors who pledged to object to the planning application in its present form.

The site would be developed and managed by Tai Wales and West Housing, but in a statement councillors said they had “no confidence” in the housing association to manage the project “given their failure to manage properties in multiple occupation on North Road and Bryn Road in Lampeter”.

And in a strongly worded presentation, resident Helen Thomas – who said the issue would impact on the wider Lampeter community – accused the housing association of “continuing to show a failure to manage existing tenants of properties they currently own in Lampeter”.

She added: “In recent months we have seen a substantial increase of visits by police, arrests made, overdoses and threatening behaviour and an increased level of antisocial behaviour.

“Do we want to see Lampeter become a sink town for criminals as has happened in other areas?”

A spokesperson for Wales & West Housing said in response: “We are experienced in dealing with issues of anti-social behaviour and our specialist officers work closely with relevant agencies to resolve such issues when they arise."In Lampeter we are currently working with police, the local authority and other agencies to take appropriate formal action to resolve the issues reported.”See this week’s South Ceredigion paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now