CONCERNS have been raised about late night anti-social behaviour around the Westwood Centre in Andersonstown.

Residents have contacted the Andersonstown News about cars revving their engines and blowing horns in the carpark as well as loud music and groups using the carpark as a football pitch.

"This is having a lasting impact on my family," one resident said. "Having lived in the area for over ten years the anti-social behaviour has heightened over the last 12 months to the point where my whole family is having to sleep in the back rooms of the house.

"I have a child with needs and requires routine. This anti-social behaviour is disturbing the family sleep routine and my children are overtired and stressed each day due to this.

"My husband leaves for work at 5.30am each morning and the constant broken sleep is affecting his work. At least five nights a week we are faced with this anti-social behaviour between 11pm and 1am.  

"You can also guarantee there is a some sort of car meet in the carpark every Thursday evening which sounds like car owners are holding the weekly car revving competition to see whose engine is the loudest

"I can only pray that measures are quickly put in place at the Westwood Centre."

Local Sinn Féin councillor Councillor Ronan McLaughlin says he is due to meet with CBRE, the company which manages the carpark, as well as the PSNI.

“Residents are rightly frustrated by the ongoing late night disruption at Westwood, and I have been consistently pressing for firm action to address it," he said.

“Over recent months, I have been working directly with CBRE, PSNI and engaging with the businesses operating at Westwood and have met some of the businesses in Westwood. That sustained engagement has now secured a meeting involving the key decision-makers together around the table.

“This is a complex site involving different businesses, leases and operational requirements. Securing agreement between three separate parties has required considerable work and has taken longer than residents or I would have wanted.

“However, we have now reached an important stage. I will continue pressing all involved to turn those discussions into firm action and deliver a lasting solution for the surrounding community.”