AN £8.5m showpiece redevelopment of a pre-war housing estate has been officially opened.

Sir Michael Duncan, a board member of the Housing Corporation, visited Tunstall Estate, in Silksworth, Sunderland. The project saw 172 Sunderland City Council homes, built in the 1930s, knocked down because of structural problems.

In their place were built 142 new homes, including pensioners' bungalows and flats for single people. The scheme was carried out by the city council and the Cheviot Housing Association, which obtained some of its funding from the Housing Corporation.

The two organisations said the scheme was developed in consultation with residents.

Some of the homes have closed-circuit television door entry systems, hands-free telephones, remote control windows and doors, and links to social services wardens.

Harry Trueman, council cabinet member for health and housing, said: "We are pleased and proud that the hard work from so many people and organisations has given the Tunstall residents a fantastic new community in which to live."

Cheviot Housing Association's chief executive, Bill Heads, said: "By involving the residents from the outset of the project, not only was the best design obtained but also the strong community spirit that existed was maintained and transferred to the new estate."