A PLAY area in Worcester which has been at the centre of a number of complaints may not be as much of a problem for residents as previously thought.

The multi-use games area – known as the MUGA – in St Peter’s has often been the subject of discussion at the area’s Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meetings, but a question about what people think should be done with it has received little response.

We previously reported how people are kept awake late into the night because of noise from the area, as well as the parish council’s attempts to combat the problem – most recently putting silicone in the gaps of the wire fence to reduce the noise.

People living near by have regularly voiced their anger with the noise and anti-social behaviour which they claim surrounds the area.

One is quoted in the latest parish magazine as asking that “...the multi-use games area be demolished and the youth shelter and seating be removed”.

In response, St Peter’s Parish Council asked people how they feel about the MUGA, but only received eight responses – four against the MUGA and four in favour of it.

Meanwhile, door-to-door enquiries by a policing team found only one household was bothered by the noise enough to complain and two who were annoyed. Speaking at a St Peter’s Parish Council meeting, Worcester city councillor Roger Knight said: “It is very difficult to form an opinion on the basis of that response.

“There has been no survey done of the users of the MUGA, but I think the youth would be 100 per cent for it.”

Coun Knight argued that many of the users of the MUGA were not causing any problems. However, he said: “There is a form of alcohol-driven anti-social behaviour which is unreasonable around the MUGA which is from 10pm until midnight.”