A £14.5MILLION revamp is drawing to a close - and these homes mark the start of a new era for a troubled housing estate.

South Anglia Housing expects to complete work on the first of its new homes on the 3/4 estate in Vange next month.

The housing association is building 120 low-cost homes and intends to do up 700 properties on the estate by 2010 in a bid to drive out crime.

Tony Ball, councillor in charge of housing, who is on the South Anglia board, said: "This gives the estate a brighter future and marks a new era.

"Things have begun to improve and it is no longer an area people want to avoid.

"The regeneration will hopefully now make it an area of choice for not only tenants on the waiting list, but also those wanting to invest money and buy their own homes."

The Echo revealed work would begin in summer 2006, after reports showed yobs were plaguing residents and how it suffered one of the highest burglary rates in Basildon.

Twelve of the homes will be finished by February and four more in March before work continues on the rest of the estate.

Basildon Council studies showed 3/4 suffered yob problems because of the high number of open areas between houses and flats.

These "surplus" areas also allowed easier access to ground-floor windows by burglars.

Mr Ball added: "This is a perfect example of designing out crime. The problem was identified and a solution found."

Ninety of the homes will be sold as shared ownership with 30 available for rent to Basildon Council tenants.

Profits from the sale of private homes will be spent on doing up the 700 existing properties.

Chris Ellison, managing director of South Anglia Housing, said: "There is a real need for this type of housing to help prevent young people having to give up on their dreams of getting a foot on the property ladder.

"Our vision for Vange is to create great quality, modern homes that are accessible for local people who are in need of affordable housing.

"We want people who live and work in the area to have the opportunity to buy their own home in the community where they have grown up and have close family ties."

What future holds for troubled estate

PROPOSALS for the remaining homes to be built on the 3/4 estate have just been unveiled. South Anglia Housing has applied to Basildon Council for permission to build 33 new homes across the estate. A decision is expected to be made in the next eight to 13 weeks. These include:

  • A block of eight one-bedroom flats on land next to 56 Dews Green
  • Building a block of seven new flats between flats 151 to 167 and 169 to 189 South Crockerford to make them one block and creating two extra flats by converting the drying rooms on the third floor of both existing blocks
  • A three-storey block of three two-bedroom flats with parking area and gardens on land next to flats 22 to 40 North Crockerford
  • A three-storey block of three two-bedroom flats with parking area and gardens on land near 66 to 82 North Crockerford plus eight new parking bays
  • A three-storey block containing three one-bed flats with parking and gardens, at land next to 27 to 45 North Crockerford
  • Three parking bays plus 15 off-street parking spaces and landscaping next to 94 Ravenscroft Drive
  • One two-bedroom house with garden and parking next to 107 Redgrave Road
  • A block of six one-bedroom flats with parking and garden next to 63 Redgrave Road
  • Eleven parking bays next to 47 Oldwyk.