HUNCOAT councillors have branded discretionary cash payouts of £200 to residents being forced out of their homes as 'ridiculous.'

They have also hit out at Hyndburn Borough Council for repeatedly building up the hopes of residents in the Within Grove Estate only to dash them because of a lack of finances.

Work to bulldoze a run down section of the Within Grove Estate is now expected to begin in March and although many of the houses are empty seven of the 50 doomed properties are still occupied.

After legal advice was sought it was decided that those tenants will each receive £200 -- the equivalent of four weeks rent -- plus 'reasonable moving expenses' such as telephone reconnection and satellite dish re-installation.

Tenants in arrears will have the £200 credited to their rent account.

Coun Dave Parkins said: "These residents have been badly treated from day one. The council says they are not forced to give the tenants anything but will give them this one off payment, yet they are taking their homes off them.

"Some of these people have spent their lifetime in Within Grove.

"It has been handled very badly and it doesn't matter whether it affects half a dozen people or 60 people -- they have been sold down the river. It is ridiculous."

The Within Grove Project Group -- consisting of council officers and resident representatives -- has now met with Portico Housing Association which has a sub-organisation for consultative work.

Further discussions will be held before a decision is made on whether or not to take them on as consultants to come up with a plan for the land's future.

But residents' hopes were pinned on a development by the Manchester-based housing group earlier this year which fell through when the council and the developer decided its plans 'weren't viable.'

Coun Steve Walsh said: "We want to see some action now instead of listening to them talking and drawing up wish lists but not delivering.

"We want to know exactly what is going on and ideally would like to see the estate how it was in the early 70s.

" A lot of people left the area very suddenly because they were in financial difficulties and this left it run down with a lot of empty houses. However we still believe in the area but money does need to be invested in it to bring it back to the peaceful estate it was."

Both councillors also agreed that residents need to pull together and get more involved in the residents' association to help improve the area.

A meeting has been called for January 3 between the councillors and officers to discuss the future of the estate and its residents.

Officers for Hyndburn Borough Council involved in the Within Grive Project Group were not available to comment.