ANGRY residents fear their community will be lost because of Pendle Council plans to demolish more than 400 homes in Nelson.

Reporter JEREMY RICHARDS asks local people what they think the way ahead should be. Demolish or refurbish?

HUNDREDS of families face being forced out of their homes of 50 years and more as part of Pendle Council plans to redevelop one of the most run-down areas in the country.

More than £20million will be spent over the next ten years clearing more than 400 "unfit" homes in Whitefield and Bradley wards as part of the Nelson West housing renewal area project.

But many householders have spent money on their homes, sometimes several thousands of pounds, and they want to see refurbishment, not rubble, on their streets.

Around 240 objections to the clearance scheme and seven petitions have been sent to the council. They will be considered by a special meeting of the authority's policy committee on Wednesday.

Ernie Cooper, 71, has lived in Westmoreland Street for 50 years. He has spent thousands of pounds on double glazing throughout his terraced home and does not want to see it demolished.

"There's nothing wrong with the houses on this row," he said. "They are talking about knocking it down but there are others ten times worse that they want to leave up. I can't understand it. "This area has been neglected by the council for years. The only thing they've ever done is tarmac the road and one or two other little things. I've had all sorts done to this house. I've had double glazing put in and had the roof done.

"Where am I going to go at 71 years old? I don't want a council house but who's going to give me a mortgage at my age?"

Mother-of-three Sughra Yunis, who lives two doors down from Ernie, is also against the mass demolition.

"My children live near the school, the town centre is nearby and all the shops I need are here," she said. "It's a community here and that will all go."

Her sister-in-law Zahida Yunis, who lives in another part of town but who has three relatives in three neighbouring houses in the road, added: "My family is all together here. Where will they find three houses together like this and how will they be able to afford if they could?

"It doesn't make sense to take people out of the community like this. It's a big upheaval for people."

Kenneth Lyle, 71, of Albert Street, was one of those objectors who wrote to the council. Kenneth, who is partially sighted and who suffers from a nervous complaint and deafness, said: "They should be giving grants to do up these houses, not knocking them down.

"At one stage they said they would only be knocking down the other side of the street. Now they're saying this side will come down as well.

"All the neighbours think the same as me. I don't want to have to get used to being somewhere I don't know."

But not everyone in the area is against the clearance plans.

Mohammad Rafiq, 72, of Maurice Street, said: "I want the council to pull them down. It's not good round here. There's too much crime, too much dirt and too much noise. I would be happy to have my house knocked down and go to a new one."

Opponents also fear the area's traditional mill town character of regimented rows of terraces and back yards will be lost.

A major public consultation over the renewal area plans came to an end on August 25. It included two exhibitions and several leaflet drops to all those affected.

The clearance will be split into four phases with the initial work taking place between Macleod Street and Stanley Street.

Whitefield, where most of the demolition will happen, is the 39th most deprived area in Britain according to Government figures.

Planning officer Mike Heywood admitted the council has a difficult and unpopular decision to make. "There is no doubt that renovating existing homes would be preferred by a substantial number of residents," he said. But the cost of renovating all the houses involved would be prohibitive, he added.

John Kirk, the council's services director, said: "What we have in that area is a lot of Victorian terraces that are severely unfit to live in. It would cost £20,000 plus to make them good in an area where some houses would sell for £10,000 or less. There's no return on the investment.

"There are some people who have spent money on their homes and that will be reflected in the compensation they get. I think they will see a substantial price over what they would get for their homes if they were sold.

"We will make an offer to householders and there will be some negotiation involved. At the end of the day we may have to go to a compulsory purchase order and then the district valuer will put a price on the property."

Although people will have to move from the area, Mr Kirk pointed out Pendle's problem is not a lack of housing. "There's no housing crisis in Pendle," he explained. "In fact we have too many houses. There are more than 2,500 empty properties in Pendle." KENNETH LYLE: 'THEY should be giving grants to do up these houses, not knocking them down'