PLANS are afoot to prevent large groups of youths from gathering at trouble hotspots in Tadley.

Discussions to introduce a dispersal zone along Tadley’s Mulfords Hill are under way between police officers and Tadley town councillors.

Following residents’ complaints about anti-social behaviour along the A340 – from the parade of shops by Sainsbury’s to the Esso Service Station – the police are keen to introduce a dispersal zone so officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) can issue formal notices to troublesome youths, preventing them from entering the specified area for up to 24 hours.

Mark Pullman, beat officer for Tadley’s Safer Neighbourhoods Team, said: “There are residential areas either side of Mulfords Hill and if there are juveniles hanging around after 10pm it becomes a nuisance for people.

“Teenagers and young adults hang out outside Sainsbury’s and the library and when there are large groups, trolleys get pushed around and they cause noise.”

The officer added that alcohol is often left lying around or confiscated from groups and said: “A dispersal area is something we are looking at which would help everyone – the shoppers, retailers and the police.

“It’s at a very early stage and it’s a joint venture. We have to work with the council and other agencies, and we have to map out an exact area and see how it would work.

“The kids have to go somewhere, but later in the evenings, large groups become intimidating and a dispersal notice would certainly assist everyone along Mulfords Hill.”

Groups can be dispersed where there are reasonable grounds for believing behaviour has resulted, or is likely to result, in a member of the public being harassed, intimidated, alarmed or distressed.

The proposed dispersal zone would include Millers Road, Swains Road, Swains Close, Maple Grove and Willow Road, and someone who remains in the area after being told to leave could face a fine or imprisonment.

A decision to designate a clearly defined area would have to be advertised. A zone would last for up to six months and can be renewed if necessary.

Tadley town councillors, who must agree with the zone for it to be created, discussed the proposal at Monday’s full council meeting and agreed to seek further information from the police.

Councillor Nigel Quelch said: “They will just go somewhere else where there’s light.

“All this will do is move them from that area and in six months we’ll get other calls. They’ll just move around Tadley.”