Tuesday 1 May 2012

N.I.M.B.Y.....

I’m shocked and distressed to realise that there is the possibility that I might be a N.I.M.B.Y sort of person.

We live in a small village of about 200 inhabitants, surrounded by farmland, woodland, a canal and a river. About half a mile from our house (as the crow flies) a planning permission application has been lodged to turn a luxury home into a therapy providing hostel for sex offenders and drug addicts. The house itself is surrounded by woodland criss crossed with public footpaths and bridleways, but fairly isolated. I know that I would feel vulnerable walking through the area alone in a way that I have never felt before.


Our house taken from in front of the woodland surrounding the proposed hostel.


Looking in the opposite direction towards the woodland surrounding the hostel.

Here is my quandary:

  • I believe that whatever the offence people need to have the opportunity to face up to their problems, seek help and become useful citizens.
  • If I believe that hostels such as this provide a useful service and would be content for such a hostel to be in the middle of someone else’s yard, then why not my own?
  • I do not want to be associated with any kind of genteel ‘lynch mob’ seeking to deride the work of a professional who is working hard with offenders in order to change their behaviour, for the benefit of us all.
  • I completely understand the feelings of my friends and neighbours in the community who are rightly very concerned about the impact such a place could have on their lives and homes.
  • I believe in rehabilitation. I do not believe that everyone who offends should be locked up and the key thrown away.
  • My daughter, who works for the probation service and has done counselling and rehabilitative programs with offenders, tells me that the sections of offence which will be dealt with at the hostel are serious ones.

There is a village meeting tonight and I shall go along to listen. I’m not convinced that the hostel will be represented in order to balance the argument.

I’ll let you know what happens and whether I really am a 'NOT IN MY BACK YARD' sort of person.

 Watch this space ...

UPDATE: The meeting is tonight rather than last night. I think I should make it clear that my friends and neighbours in the village are as far away from a 'lynch mob' as you could find. They are very tolerant, genuine and caring people. The age profile of the village means that most are either in or approaching retirement and really fear for the effects the proposed development will have on their lives. 

14 comments:

  1. I find myself in a similar situation. There is a proposal to turn the site opposite our orchard into a small young offenders unit. After thinking about it for a bit I decided I couldn't justify going all nimby. If I was prepared for these places to exist at all I had to be prepared for one to exist nearby. Simon cheerfully pointed out that I didn't need to worry anyway, as there will be enough protests without me to prevent it going ahead for decades :-) (Which of course leads me into the 'sit on my hands and do nothing' form of hypocrisy, but I'm not going to waste too much time feeling guilty.) If it does go ahead I hope it will be the sort of inspirational place where kids actually get a second chance.

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    1. I like both yours and Simon's way of looking at this problem. I'll reserve judgement at the moment, but it does seem a way forward that I could live with even if 'fence sitting' is a bit uncomfortable on the backside!

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  2. Hello Gaynor:
    This is indeed a dilemma for you and one for which there is no easy answer. On balance, we should not wish to think that we would raise objections for such a proposal as the one which you outline, but then we readily accept the argument that it will not affect us personally.

    We do hope that you will post on the outcome of the meeting.

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    1. Thanks Jane and lance,
      I appreciate your support and wise words as always.

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  3. What a difficult situation, I would hate a place like that close by, but as you say these people do need help and then these places have to be built somewhere. I have no idea what the answer is. Diane

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    1. Thanks, Diane.
      I'll let you know how things develop.

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  4. No advice, I'm afraid. Like you, I like to think I am tolerant and understanding. In this case, I feel very understanding of your dilemma...
    Axxx

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    1. Thanks, Annie.
      I got the meeting date wrong, its tonight rather than last night. Watch this space...

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  5. I think you have every right to be worried and you shouldn't feel ashamed of not wanting the hostel on your doorstep. Who would? Why shouldn't you protest against something that may cause problems for your neighbourhood, not to mention the possibility of it affecting the value of your property?
    The label "nimby" is one of those very unfair terms used to make people with perfectly reasonable fears feel guilty and keep quiet, often used by people who are jealous of your situation or don't want it in their back yard either.
    Nobody will remember who was tolerant and understanding or who was a nimby if something awful happens.
    Or maybe it will not turn out as bad as you expect - we all think of worst case scenarios - a lot of questions need to be answered.

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    1. Thanks, Jean.
      The meeting is tonight. I really should say that my neighbours and friends in the village are as far away from a 'lynch mob' as you could get. They are very genuine, caring people who go out of their way to help others.

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  6. I agree that this is a difficult dilemma and it's one faced by more and more people in this troubled world. As you say it's so easy when it's happening to someone else. You are wise not to take a position, but to listen. I wish you the best with this and will be interested to learn what happens. Good luck...

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    1. My plan is to go along to the meeting and slip in at the back. I genuinely think that this isn't the right place for a hostel, but what do I know about the needs of the proposed inhabitants?

      Ti listen will be the best thing at this stage

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  7. My house in Leeds was close to two bail hostels, as I found out after I moved there and experienced a string of burglaries. The burglaries weren't necessarily down to the inmates - all the burglars in the North of England knew they could break in there and the police would do absolutely nothing. You would just get a crime number for the insurance.

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  8. I don't blame you. Fear -- and justified fear -- is a powerful emotion. Learn what you can...

    Pearl

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