A ROW of decaying terrace houses in Nelson would cost almost £100,000 to bring up to a standard fit to live in, according to a Pendle Council survey

Council staff inspected the six homes in Every Street after a yard wall collapsed during a storm in October.

They found the most houses were unfit for habitation under the 1985 Housing Act due to the state of disrepair, dampness and inadequate facilities for preparing and cooking food.

But a report to the council's services committee, which meets on Tuesday, said that although the 110-year-old terrace was in poor condition, many others throughout the borough which were in a similar or worse state.

Two houses were knocked into one and council staff could not look at another because the owner was absent and did not respond to requests for access. The total bill to bring the five houses inspected up to standard came to £97,623. A report from environmental health officer Paul Yeomans says that although there are signs of minor movement in the structure of the terrace there is no reason to believe there is any imminent danger to health and safety.

"The lean-to kitchens are the poorest aspect , they are in very poor repair both internally and externally, have insufficient space for the safe preparation of food, and suffer from rising and penetrating dampness as well as condensation," he says.

He also highlights sagging roofs, cracked rendering, damp, missing slates, perishing pointing, rotten window frames and woodworm.

The row falls within the Nelson West housing renewal area which, although put on hold this year, when it goes ahead will mean run-down terraces will be renovated.

"As no immediate danger has been identified it is recommended that no action be taken at this time," says Mr Yeomans.

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