A home for troubled 16- to 25-year-olds in Inverness has had its house in multiple occupation (HMO) licence renewed despite objections from neighbours.
Planefield House, in Montague Row, is run by charity Highland Homeless Trust (HHT) and is designed to be a stepping stone towards independent living for young people with traumatic backgrounds.
The Highland Licensing Board met yesterday to consider the HMO licence renewal application, and heard evidence from six neighbours.
The objectors spoke of intoxicated residents hanging out of windows and sitting on the roof drinking alcohol in the middle of the day; excess noise, swearing and obscenities, bottles thrown into their gardens and broken glass in the street.
Board solicitor Lorna Murray said Planefeld House was opened ten years ago and provides six residents with stability and security, supported by professionally trained staff.
There were house rules such as zero tolerance to alcohol and drugs, she said, and visitors were only permitted between 2 and 8pm.
She said: “Much of the behaviour complained of cannot be pinned solely on the residents of Planefield.”
She said HHT wanted to open and maintain dialogue with neighbours, and also encourage neighbours to phone the police when incidents occurred.
Board chairwoman councillor Liz MacDonald was joined by other board members in approving the HMO licence renewal, on the basis that better lines of communication with neighbours were to being put in place.
She said if HHT did not conform with management conditions of the licence, it would be back to face the board.