Despair estate's new vision

Three decades later, part of the estate has been sold off to a private developer, housing associations have taken over running some properties and the council's housing stock features 197 empty homes.

Reports of crime, vandalism, nuisance neighbours, drug abuse and violence are made daily and the whole image of the estate has suffered.

In a pioneering move Blackburn Council has chaired a seminar with residents, officers, police, youth leaders, business, church and environmental representatives to discuss the decline.

Moreover, the council plans to draw up a strategy from this seminar to address the social problems of the area and win back new tenants after many left the estate to seek homes in the private sector and with other housing associations.

Resident Barbara Clarke of Douglas Place has lived on the estate for 20 years. She said: "When I first moved here I used to get on the bus home and proudly ask for a fare to Roman Road. Now I have sometimes got off the bus a stop away so that other people don't know where I live." But with the help of people like Barbara, a scout leader, who feels a strong sense of loyalty to the area she knows as home, the council hopes to stop the decline and draw on the community spirit to improve the estate radically .

Barbara Murphy, like Mrs Clarke, feels a strong sense of belonging to the estate where she has recently returned to live after seven years in a housing association property.

She said: "I lived on Roman Road for seven years, then I moved away. But I've come back now because I really do feel this is where I belong.

"The houses themselves are fine and there is a sense of community spirit."

At the council- led seminar, issues of crime and personal safety, employment, housing and environment, and the people themselves were dealt with.

Four groups were drawn up consisting of elected members, officers, members of the public and other representatives to look at the issues. Chief Inspector Paul Reynolds, head of community affairs for Blackburn police said discussions pointed to several issues as the way forward.

He said residents wanted to see the possibility of closed circuit television for the estate being fully investigated, the area being improved visually and a new zero tolerance attitude to crime.

"We care about what goes on and we would like to do far more."

The chief inspector pointed to the criminal justice system and lack of resources as limits to police powers. But he added that with a co-ordinated response among residents and other agencies, positive steps could be taken.

Phil Richards, Blackburn director of housing said the the council was listening to the problems. A co-ordinated approach and the use of professional witnesses to gather evidence against a very small minority of people who were creating the problems would help tackle the issues. "Ninety-nine per cent of the people living on that estate are honest people who care about their community. We are making a short-term investment to help stop the one per cent who are making things bad and, hopefully, create long-term good."

John Donnellon, single regeneration budget manager for the council said there were a lot of positive aspects which should be built on.

Steve Hoyle, acting director of economic development, said that people living on the estate needed to raise their employment expectations to get them out of a benefits trap.

Council Leader Malcolm Doherty said: "It seems clear we need a co-ordinator to bring things together and perhaps we could mount a bid in next year's single regeneration budget to fund such a process.

"This meeting has been very positive. In the past, I believed that residents have just wanted to leave the estate.

"Now I know that people want to stay and improve the area. Now we have got that clear, that is what we must do."

The council plans to draw up a strategy which will be discussed by members.

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