Over a year ago, LeedsLive visited a notorious estate just outside the city where people were facing high piles of rubbish, intimidating behaviour and violent attacks.
Lincoln Green, located in the Burmantofts and Richmond Hill borough of Leeds was last year given partial closure orders at 13 council-owned buildings within the cluster. This was due to yobs throwing stones through windows, women feeling threatened by men drinking and smoking in stairwells.
LeedsLive revisited the estate to ask residents if any changes had been made. One year on from the police interventions, the area has now regained more of a sense of community with those living in the flats feeling like things are better.
We spoke with Mike, a resident in the centre of the Lincoln Green cluster. He said there are still issues but they seem less prevalent now.
He said: "It's still got the reputation, all these areas in Leeds do, but it's better now. People are out and about more, playing in the parks and at the shops. It felt a bit like the Wild West during Covid and you get some silly b*****ds who still cause trouble, but it's definitely got better."
Under the new rules brought in by West Yorkshire Police, residents were effectively told that nobody other than them and their guests were allowed inside the tower blocks at any time.
A resident of Cherry Row who did not wish to be named, said she still feels uneasy living in the estate, often worrying when things might flare up again.
She said: "It's scary at time, it happens less now but I've lived here 15 years and it's pretty much been constant, you get drugs like anywhere else in the city and that causes fights.
"It's not the people or the area that is wrong, it's the things that happen. We have monthly police meetings now to talk about how to stop it happening which is good but I don't think enough people talk about it so it doesn't get solved really."
Within the community, there are several councillors, police delegates and housing officers that are working with the community to help try and reduce the antisocial and criminal behaviour within Lincoln Green.
On the Lincoln Green notice board, residents are able to sign up to visit the police drop in, held every month, to talk about any issues they have faced.
Another resident, Amy Wynne, who has been on the estate for just over a year says she hasn't found it to be too worrying but there are definitely issues.
Amy said: "It's been alright for me and the kids, it's like anywhere on the outskirts of the city, I think it gets a worse reputation than it deserves but it is spoilt by some people.
"It's a shame really because the community is nice, we have the shops and playgrounds so I don't want us to become worried about going out again. In terms of the rubbish this has been fine, there's an occasional mattress or some carboard about but it's usually left by the bins which is all you can expect really."
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