FAMILIES on an estate in St Helen Auckland are expected to be re-housed by the New Year to make way for demolition work in spring.

Between 30 and 40 houses and several garages in Tintern Road, on the Leazes Lane estate, will be bulldozed by Wear Valley District Council as part of a move to regenerate the area.

More than a third of the houses on the estate are boarded up, and residents have become increasingly fearful about the rise in vandalism, teenage drug-taking and anti-social behaviour.

About 15 families and one-owner occupier will be relocated in St Helen Auckland before the demolition programme, which will begin before April.

Wear Valley Councillor Margaret Douthwaite, who has campaigned with her husband, Sonny, for more than 13 years to see investment in the community, said: "I think people are generally happy we have some movement now, and that they are getting their accommodation sorted out.

"We have a tremendously good community spirit here in St Helen's and people really do want to stay here.

"I think the mood is very positive. People are eager to get on with the demolition because they see it as a way forward."

The demolition programme follows a survey carried out by Market Research UK on behalf of Wear Valley District Council, which looked at residents' attitudes to their homes and their surroundings.

It highlighted the empty houses and anti-social problems, and stated that residents felt a lack of investment was causing people to leave the area.

Wear Valley District Council is working on a strategy with a committee of local people to bid for Government Single Regeneration Budget money.

Architectural consultants will eventually draw up a master plan, which will look at remodelling the estates to enable new building to take place.

Other action points include training and employment initiatives, increased community facilities, attracting private housing developers and encouraging new employers to the area