A SCHEME to bring a sense of community back to Bewsey has meant there is a waiting list for housing there for the first time in years.

The initiative by Warrington Borough Council to relax the rules on handing out council homes has meant that all the empty homes on Molyneux Avenue, Southworth Avenue and Reid Avenue, which have been standing empty for years, have now been allocated.

Housing officer Neil Gregson said: "At Christmas last year there were about 18 properties that weren't let and there was no waiting list for the area.

"There is now a Bewsey initiative, that is slightly different to the usual procedure for housing, which has been okayed by councillors and the director of housing where people are entitled to different housing than they might normally qualify for.

"For example, a single person would normally get a two bedroom home but might qualify for three bedrooms in Bewsey."

The borough council advertised the homes in the Warrington GUARDIAN during February and had a good response with virtually all the empty houses being let. Word of mouth has continued the interest and last week they repeated the advert.

Mr Gregson added: "The idea is to build a community. A lot of people living there have got their own families to move into the street with them. We are trying to get back to the spirit of communities which makes for better housing conditions.

"People perceive Bewsey as an area which has problems but so does every part of Warrington to some extent."

Bewsey councillor Jeff Richards said: "We are getting people on board with a sense of community support and addressing issues on the doorstep. Going out there and speaking to people has had quite a positive effect. They are coming across with many problems they are having locally that we might not have been aware of otherwise."

One of the positive initiatives is an upcoming "clean-up day" when schoolchildren will help tidy up the area during the school holidays.

Clr Richards added: "I think the people of Bewsey are beginning to feel that they are wanted now. All they want is basic rights.

"Just having less homes standing empty makes a difference. Boarded up homes don't do a lot for an area."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.