IT'S full steam ahead for the multi-million pound East Ward Regeneration Project.

More than 100 flats are about to be demolished and the whole area transformed in a scheme where the local community has played its full part.

Residents, schools and tenants groups have worked with house builders and Bury Council to implement the project, which was officially launched last year by Hilary Armstrong, then minister for local government and housing.

Formal approval to some of the plans was given by councillors at Wednesday's executive committee.

The major element was an agreement with Irwell Valley Housing Association to demolish 168 flats. Residents have been moved out while rebuilding takes place. Officers now have to identify funds to invest in the remaining council houses on the Huntley Fold estate; to refurbish a house in Willow Street to become an urban care centre and also create an energy show house.

There will be a top-up fund to buy ten houses each year for improvements for rent and sale, costing £240,000 over two years.

They are also in talks about relocating Bury Boxing Club and the council's central production unit, and have sanctioned using £85,000 to help relocate East Ward CP School annexe, the only remaining school with a split site in the borough.

A consultant is being appointed to carry out a traffic study.

Ward councillor Trevor Holt told members: "It's an exciting scheme. There's still a lot of problems to be solved and a lot to do, but it's an exciting scheme. The community is redesigning the area along with developers and the housing association, not us. It's a model for the way we should do things."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.