AROUND 150 houses are to be bulldozed in the city centre after a council started legal proceedings to force owners to sell up.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has declared the area around Dresden Street, in Hanley, a clearance zone so it can buy nine properties it does not yet own.

The council has been buying up homes from willing owners since announcing its intent to create a clearance area and 121 homes have already been knocked down. But it can only demolish blocks which are entirely council-owned.

As a result, 11 homes in Waterloo Street, five in Picton Street, 47 in Commercial Street, five in Dresden Street, 32 in Wellington Road, 31 in Belfour Street and 20 in Tintern Street remain.

Now the area has been declared a clearance zone, the council can legally enforce compulsory purchase orders on owners to force them to sell up.

Councillor John Daniels, cabinet member for housing, environment and neighbourhood services, below, said: "All purchases that have been made in these early stages have been negotiated on the same terms as if a compulsory purchase order was in force.

"The vast majority of the properties have either been sold to the council or are in negotiation to do so.

"In order to safeguard the remaining residents and prevent vandalism and anti-social behaviour, blocks of properties have been demolished when entirely in council ownership."

Waterloo Street resident Neville Matthews said there were only three people left in the houses awaiting demolition and the others were all boarded up. The 49-year-old said: "The council has decided to knock down rows of houses on one side of roads and keep properties on the other side.

"For people living in remaining properties, it's like living in no-man's land.

"You don't know where you stand or what the council are going to do next.

"When they first started, I thought it was wrong to take people from the area.

"This used to be a proper community. The elderly had been here for years and they were put in a position where they had no choice. Now I wish they would just get on with the job."

Vikki Grinders said the houses on the other side of her road had already been demolished.

The 27-year-old, of Picton Street said: " It's awful living around here. It's like living on a building site with trucks continually going up and down.

"We've had problems with youngsters getting into the properties and setting them on fire. There's nothing for the kids. If it was not for the community centre, there wouldn't be a community.

"I just want the council to get it done. I can't see what the hold-up is. My friend moved out four years ago.

"I love living in Hanley and want to stay here."

John Coxon, aged 32, of Nelson Place, said he had lived in the area all his life and the vacant properties were bringing it down.

He said: "It used to be a thriving community but it's not fun living round here now.

"I wish they'd just get on with it but I don't have any faith in the council. I think it will be like this for years."