Residents in Old Aberdeen Express Concerns Over Plans to House Asylum Seekers in Student Halls

Resident Emma Taylor, who lives on Don Street, expressed her concern over the secrecy surrounding the proposal to house asylum seekers in student halls. "We want to live in a safe neighbourhood, and we would like to know who is going to be here and how it is going to work," she said. Another anonymous Don Street resident echoed her sentiments, stating that the lack of transparency on the number of people and the duration of their stay has created an air of uncertainty.

Key Takeaways:

• Residents in Old Aberdeen are concerned about the potential impact of housing asylum seekers in student halls on the local community and neighborhood safety.
• The secrecy surrounding the proposal, including the lack of information on the number of people and duration of stay, has raised concerns among residents.
• Aberdeen City Council has committed to facilitating engagement forums with local residents once a go-live date is agreed upon.
• Some residents, like Finlay Downey, are considering moving from the area due to concerns about the proposal.
• Long-term residents, such as George and Evelyn Wood, worry about the impact on local health services, which they believe are already stretched beyond capacity.
• Helen Clark, another resident, has defended the proposal, stating that concerns about asylum seekers living in Aberdeen have been exaggerated.

Statistics:

• Over 20 years, George and Evelyn Wood have lived on Harrow Road.
• In an email seen by The Press and Journal, Aberdeen City Council chief executive Angela Scott mentioned that both Police Scotland and Mears have committed to facilitating engagement forums.
• The email also mentioned that a go-live date has not yet been agreed upon.

Sources:

• The Press and Journal
• Aberdeen City Council
• University Living
• University of Aberdeen