A TENANTS association which has campaigned for seven years to be allowed to develop a redundant building on its estate into a community centre is turning to its MP for help.

Peel Brow Tenants' Association represents the householders in the 243 homes on the popular estate in Ramsbottom.

Chairman Brenda Headley said: "Seven years ago we put together a plan for a community centre in what is a former children's home.

"Then outreach workers were allowed to use the home but now it has become vacant again so we have again approached Bury Metro to be allowed to use it. We have the support of the local councillors, Peel Lions, the local Rotary club and when we carried out a survey the local people supported the idea."

She said currently mothers and toddlers meet in Ramsbottom centre in premises far from ideal with little space to park prams and buggies and steps to climb.

There is is only a small playground and nothing for the youth on the estate and Brenda said parents have said they are concerned about their children going into the town centre at night. There is also a thriving group of elderly tenants who would use the centre as a meeting place. Now the home has become vacant again, Brenda renewed her appeal to the council to allow the tenants' group take over the building for the good of the community.

But when she received a letter back from Julie Goulding, director of personal and community services, dated in August but received only last week, she was told it was not possible to support the tenants' plan because the building may still be needed for its former use.

Brenda said: "After seven years of campaigning I feel we deserve better. I am going to write to our MP David Chaytor to see if he can help. The outreach project has gone and we don't want this building to end up vandalised.

"We cannot sustain the community spirit we have here. It is still a lively place and we want to make it better."

A spokesman for Bury Council said: "We have dealt with and funded the tenants and residents' association for a number of years and so are aware of their difficulties and we will continue to try to help try to resolve them.

"However, the building they refer to while no longer required for its present use may well be needed by the council to help deliver services locally."

Bury North MP David Chaytor said: "I first discussed this with Mrs Headley some years ago and I agreed with her it would be an ideal building for a community centre on the estate.

"I have repeated my messages of support on several occasions and am extremely disappointed that the council has not been more positive now there is an opportunity to provide a new use for the building."