A CONTROVERSIAL area earmarked for demolition by Pendle Council has been described as 'the most historic, largest and best surviving area of pre-1890 terraced housing in Nelson'.

Darren Ratcliffe, a chartered architect working as an historic areas advisor for English Heritage, gave evidence as the first week of the public inquiry at Nelson Civic Theatre came to a close.

He said Whitefield, a ward where the council wants to pull down 162 houses, remained virtually intact which is why it was particularly important in heritage terms.

He believes the deterioration in boarded up houses, since the inquiry closed in February 2002, had not detracted from the heritage case for repairing the dwellings rather than demolishing them.

Mr Ratcliffe compared the situation to two cases he had worked on where terraced houses in Fleetwood and Padiham, in a worse structural condition than those in Whitefield, were restored.

Mr Ratcliffe told government inspector Philip Asquith that, in contrast to Fleetwood where no financial support was offered, Pendle Council had access to £2million of Heritage Lottery Fund money in Whitefield as well as funds from English Heritage.

He said: "The houses in Whitefield can be adapted to meet the needs of its present community given the chance to do so."

The inquiry will continue on Tuesday when Whitefield residents will be invited to give their views on the proposals to compulsory purchase their homes.