A MASTER plan is to be drawn up to turn around the fortunes of St Helen Auckland and tackle the anti-social problems on the area's troubled estates.

Wear Valley District Council is working with local people to produce a strategy which can be used as a basis to bid for Government funding.

A steering group is to be set up to manage the initiative, including representatives from the district and county councils, the police, and residents.

The group will then appoint architectural consultants to draw up the master plan, which will look at demolishing properties, remodelling the estates to allow new building to take place, and a range of community facilities.

As a starting point, the council has identified funding to demolish 35 to 40 empty houses and garages in Tintern Road, on the Leazes Lane Estate.

Frank Bouweraerts, director of housing at the district council, told a packed meeting at St Helen Auckland Primary School: "We have about £90,000 this year that the council can spend on getting some properties, which will clearly never be let again, knocked down and out of the way.

"We're looking at the bulldozers possibly going in in about January or February next year. People who are displaced will be offered alternative accommodation."

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

The plan follows a market research survey of local people's views, which highlighted the empty homes, teenage drug- taking and vandalism. Residents felt lack of investment was causing people to leave the area.

The council is aiming to secure Single Regeneration Budget money from the Government.

Kevin Parks, the council's assistant planning director, said: "By this time next year I really think we can start to get the money to do the things we need."

Councillor Sonny Douthwaite said: "The meeting went really well. It is a very exciting time for St Helen's now. At last something is happening.