WORK on a £5million scheme to renovate a run-down area in Todmorden could start by the summer after permission was granted for 24 new homes by Calderdale planners.

Part of the overall development plan for Longfield will see 12 houses and 12 flats built as part of the Longfield Estate regeneration programme.

Pennine Housing is behind the scheme, which will be carried out by Southdale Homes.

Housing officer Linda Saxon has confirmed that some tenants had been offered share ownership deals as investments for the future in an effort to compensate for what was a high turnover of tenancies - probably because of problems which had dogged the estate for a long number of years.

And Pennine Housing's operations manager Frances Clarke added: "The news that Longfield regeneration is now making some progress is absolutely fantastic. Residents at Longfield have been wanting a change for a long time on their estate, and now we can start to deliver this scheme."

It is expected that one block of flats will have to be demolished to make way for the new development and a decision is expected shortly on which other properties will be pulled down to make way for the new homes.