Nathan Flynn at the Andover Estate

AS 200 homes are crammed into open spaces on one of the largest housing estates in Islington, residents have urged the council to do more to look after the people that are already living there.

Used syringes, crack pipes and nitrous oxide canisters are routinely found on the doorsteps of the Andover Estate in Finsbury Park by residents as they walk their dogs or take their children to school.

Nathan Flynn, 23, who grew up and lives in the estate, said the blocks were looking “neglected” with bins overflowing, security gates broken and used syringes left on the pavements.

He said: “They’re building more houses here, and they can’t even look after the houses they’ve got on the estate now. Why should they build more? That’s more people, more families to experience what we’re experiencing.

“Things I see day in day out are heavy drug users with paraphernalia hanging out their arm, just walking along the street like it’s the norm. People sit on people’s doorsteps smoking crack pipes, doing drugs in their groin.”

When the Tribune visited, there were used syringes and a large nitrous oxide canister dumped in Durham Road. The needles were cleaned up on Wednesday – three weeks after Mr Flynn first reported them to caretakers.

Used syringes

Mr Flynn, who cares for his elderly grandfather who is prone to falling, said: “If he falls on that, he could be infected with God knows what. The paraphernalia is also right by a school. It’s not the best thing – if the school was on and a kid falls, it’s not the best.”

“It’s got ridiculous, it’s 24/7 around here,” he said, adding he thought the estate’s problems had grown worse since the pandemic. “Since Covid hit, obviously there’s not enough funding, not a lot of police. So they’re running riot.”

But he said he would like to see drug users around the estate treated with compassion and offered help, adding: “There’s not enough funding for people who are using heavy drugs. Why aren’t support workers going around? Instead of moving them on, offer them help, carry pamphlets. Because they’re probably not knowing where to turn.”

Finsbury Park councillor Gary Heather said it was important to avoid “demonisation of the estate,” adding drug crime is a problem across the ward. He said: “The problem we’ve got is Finsbury Park is a target area for drug dealing. I’m told this is because of transport links, and because Finsbury Park has a high-end market and a low-end market for users.”

A council spokesperson said: “We’re committed to supporting residents in the Andover Estate with any anti-social behaviour that they experience. We’re working proactively with a number of partners, including the Westminster Drug Service, to provide support to those experiencing anti-social behaviour, and to those experiencing issues around drugs and alcohol.

“We constantly review our actions to make the area safer through our multi-agency partnership with the police and other partners.”