RESIDENTS have been left devastated after demolition plans were approved for 150 homes in their neighbourhood.

Blackburn with Darwen Council last night agreed to begin buying up homes in the Redearth Road area of Darwen, using compulsory purchase orders where necessary.

But residents insisted they had been kept in the dark for large chunks of the consultation period and expressed doubt over inspections of their homes, which they said had only lasted a few minutes.

Some 57 houses in parts of Sudell Road, Star Street and Hannah Street are included in one demolition area, with another 61 houses in Redearth Road, Sunnybank Street, Lower Cross Street, Franklin Street and another part of Sudell Road included in a second.

Council officers said 32 additional houses had already been bought. The cleared site may be used for a new high school.

The demolition is part of the first wave of work under the East Lancashire Elevate Pathfinder scheme to improve the standard of housing.

Hundreds of millions of pounds of Government cash is expected to be pumped into five East Lancashire boroughs deemed to be suffering some of the worst housing problems in the UK.

Robin Harrison, representing the surveying company employed by Elevate, said the Darwen houses were among the worst his firm had ever seen in the country.

He said that 86 per cent had been deemed unfit to live in, with 94 per cent not meeting Government 'decency' standards for a good quality of life.

Peter Sciambarella, of Sudell Road, said: "We fear we have been let down by the council. They have not kept us informed. How can they say our homes are unfit with just a few minutes of checks?

"I don't believe it is cheaper to demolish our homes than help us repair them."

At the meeting, council officers said it would be £700,000 more expensive to repairs the houses.

Natasha Lea Jones, of Sudell Road, presented a new petition from 1,401 backers asking for more time for consultation to convince residents demolition was the only option.

But Coun Mohammed Khan, executive member for housing, said: "These aren't easy decisions and I have had family who have been moved from their homes to allow for clearance in the past.

"Extra consultation won't, I don't think, change anything."

Residents will receive support to help move, compensation and cut-price loans to help them get new homes.

But Tory leader Colin Rigby said: "Surveys have been carried out, but residents have had to ask for copies. I don't think that is being as open as possible."