THE man overseeing controversial housing plans in Blackburn has promised worried residents that no more homes will be added to those earmarked for demolition.

Graham Burgess, Black-burn with Darwen Council's regeneration boss, met with around 60 residents at a public meeting called to protest against plans to demolish homes in Blackburn's infirmary area.

Around 150 homes have been earmarked for demolition as part of the Elevate East Lancashire scheme, and residents in the area were afraid more would be added to the list.

But at last night's meeting, at Ivy Street Community Centre, it was revealed there are no more plans for the area, other than those already decided involving the Alaska Street and Infirmary Street areas.

Money for regenerating the area has been allocated for the next five years, and even then the future may be uncertain.

Mr Burgess explained all the cash had been allocated for the next five years, so more demolition plans were simply not possible.

He added that if a new government is elected, it might decide not to hand over more cash to fund Elevate anyway.

He said: "The current government has decided it will fund Elevate for 15 years. If there is a change of government clearly I can't guarantee what funding a new government would make available."

Mr Burgess also revealed that a firm would be picked to take over the Infirmary buildings for housing developments by Christmas, and final plans would be submitted to the council in the first few months of 2006.

But around 60 angry residents who attended the meeting said the news left them in limbo, and used an impromptu vote to show Mr Burgess they did not want their homes demolished.

Local resident and meeting organiser Raymond Neilan said: "It isn't right for the good people who live round here to lose their homes.

"A clear message from this meeting to our council is that we do not wish to lose our homes."