A Cherry Avenue home is shut until late November after Sevenoaks magistrates granted Kent Police a closure order on 25 August. Entering it is now an offence.

A home in Cherry Avenue, Swanley, has been closed for three months by a court order after what Kent Police called persistent nuisance behaviour and disorder. (Kent Police, Closure order issued to Swanley home, 28 August 2026)

The force applied for the order at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court, which granted it on Tuesday 25 August. Officers then made sure the address was empty, secured it, and placed a sign on the door warning that it is now an offence to enter. Anyone who breaches the order risks a fine or imprisonment.

The police statement does not name anyone connected with the property, and it does not give the house number. The force’s account of the case does not mention anyone being charged with an offence.

Warnings came first, the police say

Kent Police said the order followed ongoing enforcement action, and that it had tried to resolve the problems without going to court.

Police Sergeant Jamie Edwards said: “Residents have long suffered antisocial behaviour and incidents of disorder in relation to this premises. Working with our partners, attempts had been made to resolve matters through community resolution and, despite being issued warnings, those connected with the property have failed to improve their behaviour and conduct.”

He added: “We hope this action will significantly reduce antisocial behaviour and the associated demand at this location, while providing much-needed respite for local residents affected by these issues.” (Kent Police, Closure order issued to Swanley home)

Timeline of the Cherry Avenue closure order: granted at Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court on 25 August 2026, announced by Kent Police on 28 August with the home emptied and secured, in force for three months, with monitoring and partner agencies working on a longer-term solution
Graphic by Sevenoaks Online

What a closure order is

A closure order is one of the strongest antisocial behaviour powers a court can use against a property rather than a person. Under section 80 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, magistrates can prohibit access to premises for up to three months. The court has to be satisfied that someone has engaged, or is likely to engage, in disorderly, offensive or criminal behaviour there, or that the use of the premises has caused or is likely to cause serious nuisance, and that closing it is necessary to stop that continuing. (legislation.gov.uk, Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, section 80)

The Cherry Avenue order runs for the full three months, so it will be in force until late November. Kent Police said the situation will be monitored during that period while partner agencies “work towards a longer-term solution for the property and the local community”.

What it means for residents

  • The property is empty and secured. Officers cleared it and put a sign on the door. Entering it while the order is in force is a criminal offence, whoever you are.
  • The problems the order addresses should stop at that address for three months. The force said the aim is “immediate relief” for those affected, with monitoring while a longer-term answer is worked out.
  • Antisocial behaviour elsewhere can still be reported. Kent Police takes reports through its online antisocial behaviour form, or on 101.

Our monthly Sevenoaks crime report counts what the police record around the town, and the district crime rate page sets Sevenoaks against the England and Wales figure. You can look up recorded crime for your own street on police.uk’s your-area maps. What is trading in the town is on our Swanley business directory.

Sources

  • Kent Police, Closure order issued to Swanley home, published 28 August 2026 (the order granted at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on 25 August, the three-month duration, the property secured with a warning sign, the fine or imprisonment for breach, monitoring and partner agencies, and Police Sergeant Jamie Edwards’ statement)
  • legislation.gov.uk, Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, section 80 (the power of the court to make closure orders, the three-month maximum and the conditions the court must be satisfied of)

Image: Elim Christian Centre, Cherry Avenue, Swanley, by David Anstiss, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Geograph: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elim_Christian_Centre_-geograph.org.uk-_1187857.jpg. The photo shows the road in 2009, not the property in the order. Graphic by Sevenoaks Online.