RESIDENTS campaigning to save 149 homes from demolition have won support from a national heritage charity.

SAVE Britain's Heritage, formed in 1975 to campaign for irreplaceable historic buildings, has spoken out against plans to demolish houses in the Redearth Street clearance area.

It believes the homes should be renovated instead, and described the area as a "model sustainable community".

Blackburn with Darwen Council says the houses, 90 per cent of which are classed as unfit for human habitation, would cost more to renovate than demolish.

But SAVE Britain's Heritage argues that nearly every one of the buildings is occupied and in what might normally be described as "fair condition".

Adam Wilkinson, secretary of the charity, said: "The buildings are part of a mill workers' estate dating from the 1870s, but are not in a conservation area. The majority are simple two-up two-down houses with small back yards, upgraded to meet the requirements of modern living by their owners.

"They are lived in by a well-established community and are within walking distance of shops, schools and churches - a model sustainable community.

"However, the council, in a bid to access funds from central government, has signed up to the East Lancashire housing market renewal strategy, which will release these funds on the condition that a percentage of the housing stock is demolished. The aim of this mistaken policy, known at national level as "pathfinder", is to boost the value of the housing stock in the market. The key problem is that the valuations for the buildings are based on figures from 2001 or before.

"In 2001 a typical terrace house in Darwen was worth £20,000, and the council put the cost of repairing a single house at £30,000. Now such a house would be worth around £60,000 while the cost of repair remains approximately the same.

"This is a fundamentally flawed policy that works against all that the Government is trying to achieve.

"A more inspired approach would be to aim improvement grants at the existing buildings and community

Graham Burgess, Blackburn with Darwen executive director for regeneration, said: "The two major national design and heritage organisations, CABE and English Heritage, have been involved with our plans for Darwen from the outset and support our approach.

"The council is committed to preserving the heritage of Darwen and is, for example, currently investing significant amounts of money in the St Peter's Church area to create a heritage neighbourhood of the highest standard.

"Unfortunately, the condition of the houses in the Redearth Road area and the number of vacant properties make it impossible to apply this approach."