Programme of upgrades to 'reduce crime' set for three towns in Stoke-on-Trent
New CCTV, lighting and fences will be installed across three towns in a £1 million scheme to reduce crime.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council received the 'design out crime and anti-social behaviour' funding as part of its £19.65 million Levelling Up Partnership allocation from the government in 2023.
The money will pay for a raft of physical improvements aimed at making buildings and locations more secure in Longton, Stoke and Tunstall.
Council bosses have now approved the use of £304,195 on the first of three phases of works, involving more than 50 individual schemes across the three towns.
Schemes were identified following consultation with partners such as Staffordshire Police, and the council says the investment will build on previous improvements carried out using Safer Streets funding from the Home Office.
In Stoke, thousands of pounds will be spent on installing fencing and gates at various points around Stoke Town Hall and the Civic Centre, where anti-social behaviour, rough sleeping and littering have been frequent issues.
Drug taking and anti-social behaviour have also been problems in and around the Rose Garden, next to the Kingsway car park. The council is planning to install new CCTV cameras, better lighting and improved fencing to tackle these issues.
In Longton, the plans include the installation of CCTV and environmental works on public open space next to the Crown Hotel, which is currently being used as a homeless hostel by the council.
A council report says the area has attracted 'significant levels of crime and anti-social behaviour' and has also been the site of small 'homeless encampments', with the overgrown bushes providing cover for groups.
Elsewhere, mesh fencing will be installed along the footpath behind Phoenix Retail Park to 'block escape routes' for offenders fleeing the area.
One of the biggest individual schemes will be the £25,000 demolition of Tunstall Park Pavilion. The building closed following a major arson attack in 2019, and despite being boarded up and fenced off, it continues to be a magnet for anti-social behaviour.
A formal decision to demolish the building, which the council says is the 'only viable option', has already been taken.
A raft of improvement works are also planned for Tunstall Memorial Garden, which has been subject to 'significant and worsening anti-social behaviour issues', with weapons and drugs paraphernalia being found in overgrown bushes.
Approved works include the installation of CCTV and secure fencing, while the toilet block could be demolished in a future phase.
Cllr Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and regeneration, said: "People tell us they're fed up with seeing empty buildings attracting vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
"They want safer streets, cleaner public spaces, and a real plan to tackle these issues—not just words. That's exactly what we're delivering.
"The Design-Out-Crime project is the first stage of a wider programme to reduce crime, tackle anti-social behaviour, and improve our public spaces.
"We've secured just over £7 million to make real improvements in Tunstall, Stoke, Burslem, and Longton, this includes funding for Design-out-Crime and we're asking residents to have their say on the plans.
"We know that bringing empty buildings back into use helps prevent crime, and the council has a responsibility to protect key assets and work with private building owners to do just that.
"We've identified locations where people feel unsafe—places with repeated issues like arson, drug misuse, and anti-social behaviour—and we're targeting them with real, practical solutions.
"This is all part of our plan for a cleaner, greener, and safer city."
Cllr Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing, planning and homelessness added: "At the same time, we know that tackling these problems isn't just about enforcement—it's about support.
"We know from speaking to local people that they want to see help for those who are struggling, and we're making sure it's there.
"That means offering immediate support to anyone who finds themselves homeless, getting rough sleepers off the streets quickly, and providing long-term accommodation for those facing challenges like mental health issues, addiction, or a history of offending.
"This is about making our communities safer and stronger—working with local people to build a city we can all be proud of."
Many of the schemes which have been allocated LUP funding will require planning permission and in some cases listed building consent.
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Read more: The community project pilot helping to provide a boost to Stoke town centre
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