BULLDOZERS moved into a housing estate this week to start pulling down homes that were condemned as unsafe due to structural defects.

Phase one of the demolition of 120 houses on the St Andrews Estate, Bishop Auckland, began on Monday.

Wear Valley District Council and contractors John Hellens (Contracts) Limited and Tyne Tees Demolition started work on 30 properties at St Aidan's Walk and St Cuthbert's Walk.

The 12 week programme kicks off with the careful removal of asbestos, which council bosses estimate will take about eight weeks. The final stages of demolition will take a further four weeks.

Terry Cranston, capital programme manager at the council's housing services department, said every care was being taken with the process.

He said: "The 30 properties that have been earmarked for demolition are due to structural defects.

"Significant quantities of asbestos-containing materials have been identified and all the necessary precautions are being taken for safe removal."

The move to flatten the homes comes almost four years after they were condemned as being unsafe after it was discovered that the Seventies buildings had serious structural problems and asbestos in the party walls.

The news came as a huge blow to tenants and 27 home owners, who had bought their homes under the council's 'right to buy scheme.'

Two-and-a half years of negotiations finally ended in 2003 when the homeowners were offered a £50,000 cash settlement or a three-bedroom home on a new development.

Tenants on the majority of the estate have already been moved to new homes and planning permission has been given to Persimmon Homes to build on the site.

Most of the new estate will be for sale on the open market.

Some will be two-bedroom bungalows provided by Durham Aged Mineworkers' Homes Association and houses provided by Endeavour Housing Association.

Both organisations have applied to the Housing Corporation for funding.

The council had to seek Government permission to sell off its holdings on the estate and submit a planning application for the proposed scheme.