A NEW report has identified homes to be bulldozed in a pit village because they are beyond repair.

Wear Valley District Council has drawn up a list of 50 houses on Eldon Lane, near Bishop Auckland, to be demolished under a £2m renewal scheme.

The deterioration of the terraces in an area known as The Hollow shocked Local Government Minister and North-West Durham MP Hilary Armstrong when she toured the area.

The empty properties, mostly privately owned, have been targeted by thieves and vandals and are to be cleared to halt further decline and encourage investment. It was estimated 76 per cent of the 390 homes in the area were either unfit to live in or were in serious disrepair.

Homes on Brook Terrace, Elliott Terrace, Moore Street, Arthur Street and New Brook Terrace will be affected and the council intends to offer remaining residents a pay-out.

Over the next decade more than £2m of council cash will be injected into the area, most of which will be spent on improving the remaining homes.

People living in the village have also drawn up a list of other priority projects including the reduction of vandalism and litter and the provision of more places for children to play.

Wear Valley's assistant director of environmental services Jimmy Nutt said: "There's only five occupied houses in the area now and the next stage is to enter into negotiations with the owners and occupiers.

"Probably in the next few months we will re-house the remaining residents and we hope to demolish the homes during this financial year."

Coun Margaret Ingledew welcomed the move. She said: "The quicker we can get moving now the better. We've had a number of fires down there. Even though the homes are empty, young people are doing a lot of damage to them.