RESIDENTS living on two estates in the Wear Valley will have to be re-housed as a council looks at demolishing their homes.

One hundred houses and 20 bungalows on the St Andrew's Road Estate, Bishop Auckland, will most likely be demolished following the discovery of asbestos.

Homes on both the old and new estates in St Helen Auckland also look set to come down.

For people living on the St Andrew's Road Estate, the decision, which was expected to be made by Wear Valley District Council's Housing Services Committee last night, will put an end to 18 months of uncertainty.

A resident, who bought her home from the council, said that for her personally it could spell the end of months of worry.

She said: "I have heard that the houses will probably be demolished. I think deep down everyone knew they would have to come down. I don't think the council had any choice.

"I am hoping that they will give me a reasonable price for my property. I cannot afford to go to a new home in debt.''

People living in both St Helen's and St Andrew's have been consulted by the council, which has carried out surveys in the area.

To repair the homes on the St Andrew's estate would have cost the council in excess of £3.27m because of the specialist work needed to deal with asbestos.

Those people living in St Helen's have vowed to fight the council if the decision to tear down their houses goes ahead.

Chairman of St Helen's Residents Association Kevin Graham said that members were upset by the decision.

He said: "We are opposed to any demolition. We actually put forward an alternative plan but although the council said it had merit it was illegal because of constraints from government.''

But the council said that both the old and new estates in the village are suffering from low demand, resulting in high levels of vandalism and maintenance which was becoming an increasing burden both to the local community and council finances.