RESIDENTS of one of the poorest housing areas in the UK today pledged to continue their fight against plans to demolish up to 400 "unfit" Victorian properties.

Neighbours in the Whitefield district of Nelson told Pendle Council's policy and services committee they want their homes refurbished instead of being demolished to make way for a major redevelopment.

The council proposes to make part of Whitefield a clearance zone following the revelation that it is the 19th worst area in the country when it comes to poor housing.

But the majority of residents claim the plan will rip out the heart of the close-knit community. A special meeting of the council's policy and services committee agreed the next step in the process of declaring the area a clearance zone.

They are yet to decide how many homes should go despite pleas from local people and Liberal Democrat councillors who want the brakes put on the scheme.

Councillors have stressed that no final decision will be made until more detailed consultations with local people are carried out. Sylvia Wilson, of Kensington Street, Nelson, who is opposing the demolition plans, said: "I know two people aged 75 and 90 who are ill with worry over this.

"It would literally kill them if they have to move away.

"It's stressful enough to want to move house but to be forced to do so is despicable and downright inhuman."

LibDems, while agreeing some homes need to be pulled down, backed the refurbishment call.

Councillor John David said: "We should try to improve matters rather than demolish wholesale."

But Labour pointed out that only about 20 per cent of the 1,773 properties in the area were being considered for demolition.

Group leader Azhar Ali said: "The residents don't deserve to live in squalid conditions in the 21st Century, as some of them do."

Labour's Frank Clifford said rumours about the amount of compensation people who were forced to leave their homes would receive were rife in the area.

"When it has been made clear what money they will get, people have been voting with their feet and coming to the town hall to express the wish to have their houses taken off their hands," he said.

"They have come in large numbers; certainly a third in the properties affected."

A final decision on which homes will be cleared will be made on November 16.