King’s College London University wants to build an extension to stop “vagrants” from “using drugs” and “sleeping” around the Greenwood Theatre.
According to planning documents submitted on behalf of the university, its staff are “constantly” removing syringes and needles which are a “hazard to staff”.
The Greenwood Theatre is a building owned by the Charitable Foundation of Guy’s Hospital and leased to King’s College which uses it for lectures and productions.
In a document drawn up for its client, planning consultancy JacksonBCS wrote: “The external lobby is used by vagrants and those using drugs as a shelter and for sleeping.“KCL’s staff are constantly having to clean the lobby and remove hypodermic syringes, needles, and other drug related items, which is obviously a hazard to the staff.”
It concludes that the “only effective way” of solving the problem is to enclose the external lobby behind walls.
The Greenwood Theatre is just yards away from the Manna Centre, a centre for homeless people, which is facing a £75,000 deficit amid rising demands for its services.
Behind it is Wolfson House, a 274-bedroom student accommodation and one of the cheaper student halls available to the university’s students.
The Theatre was built in 1975 following a donation from Sir James Mantle Greenwood, a local advertising businessman.
Why done the vagrants say they come from Syria, Albania or Nigeria. They will then get put up in 4 star hotels