FURIOUS tenants today vowed to fight a feared sell-off of the troubled Within Grove estate in Huncoat.

The bombshell was dropped on Huncoat Residents' Association yesterday.

The association had asked for a meeting with Hyndburn director of community services Edgar Bignell because of rumours of a sell-off.

Association vice-chairman Mrs Arlene Walker said : "Mr Bignell confirmed that British Northern housing association would be willing to come in and buy the estate."

Treasurer Derek Whitham said: "They are riding roughshod over residents once more with a lack of consultation and plans already in the pipeline."

"The council has been categorically denying any sell-off. They have had another agenda and have kept us and our representatives in the dark." The association will be leafleting tenants on the estate on Sunday night urging them to attend a public meeting on Monday night.

Mrs Walker said : "The council want us to get a public meeting arranged as soon as possible with British Northern but we are not prepared to meet them or the council until we have spoken to residents ourselves."

Mr Whitham said : "At least with the council in charge we have some representation and a voice.

"Once handed over to a private company we will have nothing other than probably higher rents pay," he added.

In a statement Mr Bignell said the council was currently consulting tenants in a number of locations across the borough as to whether to create a new Housing Company, in partnership with a Housing Association.

This idea, if adopted, would bring much needed housing investment into the borough.

The meeting with the residents association was also attended by housing services committee chairman, coun Clifford Westell, along with other councillors and officers.

Mr Bignell said it was a very positive meeting and it was agreed that a public meeting would be convened within the next two weeks to discuss options that could address the investment needs of the Within Grove estate.

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