More than 150 angry residents packed into a heated public meeting on Monday and fired questions at council officers over controversial plans for a Carshalton youth housing scheme.

But despite growing opposition to the scheme which would house seven young people who have had disruptive lives and need supervision initial plans have been approved by the area's planning officer.

The project at 82 Stanley Park Road, run by Look Ahead Housing and Care, was recommended by area manager for Beddington and Wallington Simon Grainger in a report prepared for an area committee meeting on December 19.

At the public meeting, called by a panel of nearby residents, only two brave council officers attended to answer residents' questions.

Eleanor Brazil and Simon Latham fielded a volley of verbal attacks for nearly three hours on Monday evening in the canteen of Stanley Park High School. The pair were put on the spot on issues such as budgeting arrangements, planning issues and the care that the youths aged 16 to 21 would receive.

Struggling to be heard above the crowd, Eleanor Brazil, Sutton's strategic director of community services, said: "I want to start by saying that I want this project to succeed.

"These young people have to live somewhere. The majority of them who go through the care system with proper support are helped to overcome their difficulties. What I'm here to talk about is the services issue, not the planning issue."

But the rowdy reception from residents repeatedly forced the ailing debate to turn into a squabble over ethics while tempers flared over answers given by the council officials.

Jill Anthony, a resident living nearby the proposed project's site, said: "All the council seems to be interested in is the funding going through. It is not listening to our concerns."

The findings of a visit to Look Ahead projects in nearby boroughs were also revealed. Residents' panel leader Anna Carroll said: "In Bromley, we were told police had visited the property three times and that crime had risen in the local area.

"The most frequent complaints we heard of were cars speeding up and down the road, noise levels late at night and residents feeling intimidated in their own home."

Residents accused the council of rushing through the planning application in order to meet bidding requirements for a housing corporation grant which will finance the building development.

A decision is due to be reached at the December 19 area committee meeting at the Civic Offices.

December 12, 2001 17:30