ST HELENS Council is aiming to undertake an ambitious project to transform nearly 800 homes on the Wargrave estate in Newton-le-Willows.

The council has bid to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions for funding under the Estates Renewal Challenge Fund (ERCF) to transfer properties to a new landlord who will then carry out a modernisation programme across the estate.

If successful, the estate will see properties transferred to Wargrave Community Housing Association (WCHA) who will be a new registered social landlord under the umbrella of Maritime Housing Association.

Following an earlier unsuccessful bid and subsequent discussions with senior civil servants, the council has now submitted a revised bid which includes all council homes on the estate. It is thought this course of action will increase the likelihood of securing the funding to tackle living conditions across the estate. The outcome of the bid will be known in mid-February 1998. In line with Government advice, the council's bid assumes that a transfer of the estate could be achieved by the autumn of 1998. If the bid is successful, the next key stage will be a period of extensive tenant consultation prior to a ballot of all tenants on the final package of proposals in the summer of 1998.

A letter is in the process of being delivered to all residents on the estate to keep them fully informed of developments. Representatives of the council and Maritime continue to meet with representatives of the Trees Estate Tenants and Residents' Association (TETRA) as the proposals progress.

Councillor Richard Ward, chairman of the council's Housing and Environmental Services Committee said: "It has been very frustrating that our earlier bid did not succeed, but we have listened closely to Government advice and have submitted a revised bid which will give us the best chance of success. A strong partnership has emerged on the estate between the council, Maritime and the tenants. Our scheme is well developed and ready to run as soon as we get approval."

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