RYELANDS residents will be taken to Manchester next week to see for themselves how the estate could look if they give ambitious development plans the go ahead.

The fact-finding visit to the Bellway Urban Renewal Scheme by councillors and community representatives has been organised to allay tenants and residents' fears about changes to the estate.

This week a mobile exhibition bus toured the estate showing how another development company, Oakapple Partnership, plans to regenerate Ryelands.

Both companies have until May 22 to submit their development proposals which will then go out to public consultation.

The council says it's keen to ensure that residents are consulted as fully as possible before any definite plans are given the go-ahead but some home owners have accused the authority of talking down to them and having a secret agenda. Housing chairman, Carol Broad, told the Citizen: "We are involving them in every step of the redevelopment process and have ensured that potential development partners follow our lead. The mobile exhibition and the visits to other redevelopment schemes are all part of this and I hope residents will take up the opportunities to find out more and give their views."

But homeowner June Rothie summed up the feelings of many on the estate and said: "I went to a meeting with council officials expecting to have my worries quelled but instead I left in tears. There are lots of people who have spent thousands of pounds and lots of love and care on their houses and gardens."

She continued: "The council couldn't seem to grasp the fact that we like living here. There are 16 houses on my street, one is for sale, no one wants to move, but we were told that families in this area want to live in flats. This idea is preposterous. It's like going back in time to the 50s and 60s when they proved to be a mistake as people felt isolated, never met their neighbours and had no sense of community."

Mrs Rothie added: "When they talked about compulsory purchase orders I was near to tears and in shock. I left in total despair. I found them to be unsympathetic and unfeeling. They had a low opinion of us and didn't really listen to what we had to say."