£1.25m facelift for troubled estate

The Long Lane estate, which is managed by the William Sutton Trust, will receive the investment to improve parking, lighting and play facilities.

It is hoped such improvements will reduce crime and a community development worker will be dedicated to the estate to help residents take more control of their neighbourhood.

The transformation is needed to encourage residents to stay on the estate which has been blighted by social problems in recent years.

The Long Lane estate, which includes 222 homes managed by the Trust, is one of 19 in the country to be involved in a three-year study trying to find out the reasons for empty properties.

The study, which was carried out by leading housing experts and part funded by the Government, relied on local information and consultation with residents. Trustees travelled from Tring in Hertfordshire to meet residents of Long Lane and the other Bolton estate they manage at Platt Hill, near Hunger Hill, in October.

The Platt Hill estate, which had been nicknamed "the estate from hell" after being plagued by vandals and criminals, will not be included in the list of estates to receive help in stopping people from leaving.

Judith Winterbourne, William Sutton Trust Housing Director, said: "Any problems at Platt Hill have been flash points rather than serious and ongoing problems.

"Platt Hill is generally a settled estate. Yes, there has been trouble outside the shops but it's not a real problem." She added: "Long Lane issues relate to the fact that there is lots of other social housing in the area, and are there enough people who want to live there?

"The layout of the estate needs work. There is a very strong tenants' association and we will be working closely with them."

The in-depth study recognised that however comfortable the homes and attractiveness of the estate, a community faces challenges if homes are empty for long periods and that tenants do not wish to live in a half empty street or block.