The substance use disorder facility for alcohol, drug and behaviour addiction, Galino House, situated in Henry Fagan Street in the posh Bloemfontein neighbourhood, Heuwelsig, has been ordered by the Free State High Court to close its doors.
This follows after 14 residents in the facility’s vicinity requested the court for an interdict to prevent the operators of Galino House from running this facility on the premises and that the house may not be used for anything else than residential purposes.
The residents argued that Galino House was affecting the neighbourhood negatively. They submitted that the marketability and value of properties in the area would be influenced by the illegal land use in their neighbourhood. The residents submitted the risk of having persons who abuse substances which can lead to irrational and dangerous behaviour of such persons in the area and they did not want to subject small children to such risks.
The neighbours submitted that there were numerous areas in the city where such a facility could be accommodated with great success. They could not understand why the Galino House owners insisted on having the substance use disorder facility in a peaceful residential area where it is a nuisance causing prejudice to the area. The court found for the 14 residents. – André Grobler
andreg@centralmediagroup.co.za
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