Two large housing estates in the Spen Valley have been earmarked for improvements worth £4.5 million next year by housing chiefs at Kirklees Council.

Tomorrow the Council's housing management committee is being asked to approve the Foldings estate in Scholes and Windy Bank in Hightown, Liversedge for estate regeneration schemes.

They have been chosen because they have a high number of families on low incomes and properties are difficult to let when they become vacant.

Housing bosses also point out the plans to provide off-street parking at the 196-home Foldings estate will help solve parking problems which are the source of rows between neighbours.

The £2.4 million scheme for the Foldings estate includes converting flats to three and four-bedroom homes, refurbishing kitchens and bathrooms, installing central heating in all the homes, outside insulation and fitting new roofs.

A report to the committee by housing officer Anne Douglas says the estate recently had new windows fitted and homes were rewired ten years ago but there have been no other improvements.

She said: "The estate has a low waiting list and properties have a high refusal rate due to the poor state of internal fittings.

"The majority of lettings are to single people and conversion of flats to three bedroom houses will both attract and retain families.

"The proposed works are aimed at creating a more balanced community, reducing neighbourhood disputes and increasing demand for all properties.''

The £2.4 million scheme for 439-home Windy Bank estate aims to install central heating in all the homes, damp-proofing courses, re-roofing all properties, removing unsafe canopies and installing security lights.

Miss Douglas added: "Despite approximately 20 per cent of the houses being purchased through right to buy rules, the remaining properties are proving difficult to let.''

Frank Dyson, treasurer of Windy Bank Tenants and Residents' Association, said: "I think most of the residents will be happy with these improvements, especially as work has started on an £800,000 scheme to fit double-glazed windows to houses.''

Miss Douglas said that other factors taken into consideration when choosing estates for regeneration include level of unemployment, the number of families on benefits, mortality rates, crime, the number of children in poor families and number of homes lacking amenities.

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