Boroughs' bid for housing cash

Millions of pounds are available for improving council house areas

Phil Hope, the new minister tasked with bringing better housing to east Lancashire, Oldham and Rochdale, has paid his first visit to meet local residents.

Areas in five east Lancashire boroughs, together with the two Greater Manchester towns, are bidding for a share of £500m of state money to tackle their problems.

The boroughs of Blackburn, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale have more than 11,500 empty homes.

In Oldham there are more than 8,300 empty homes, while in Rochdale the figure is 3,800.

Added to this is low demand for some council properties which threatens tens of thousands more houses.

Mr Hope said: "The Government is pledged to support local people as they strive to meet the challenges often caused by the collapse of the housing market.

No one doubts the challenges but from what I have seen today I am convinced that this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will be grasped with both hands by these communities.

"I am sure that partnerships between local people and the Government offer the real prospect of creating communities that will attract people to live and work."