HUNDREDS of residents woke today to the news that their home will be knocked down.
Last night, plans were approved to push ahead with the redevelopment of the much troubled Rowner estate, which means 501 homes will be reduced to rubble.
This morning letters were posted through the front doors of residents letting them know their
property will be bulldozed in the £140m regeneration.
At the meeting of the full council every councillor present voted to move forward with the plans for 845 new homes.
Council leader Cllr Shaun Cully said: 'We have the financial muscle to do it and the backing to do it. If we don't do this we are going to miss a golden opportunity.'
Those who do not want to be moved from their homes can be forced out, as the council may use compulsory purchase orders and Ian Lycett, council chief executive, said no exceptions would be made.
'If you go around there you will know that these buildings are well past their sell-by date,' he said.
'There's a harsh and difficult reality and that's that there's only one long-term solution to that site and that's the regeneration.
'It's really not feasible to undertake a project like this and have individuals hold the whole project to ransom.'
He added that all residents will be offered the opportunity to stay on the estate.
But many are furious that they will be turfed out of their homes.
Vice-chairman of the Rowner Village Residents' Association, Mark Latham made a last ditch speech to persuade councillors not to back the project.
He said: 'I don't think it was unexpected, we just felt that we needed to make our point.'
Jim McGookin purchased a house in Liverpool Court, Grange Road, Rowner, just three months ago. He said: 'Now nobody is going to want to buy this house.'
