RESIDENTS of Nappers Wood, Fernhurst, are to appeal to Chichester District Council to provide a massive £1.7 million to fund the regeneration of the housing estate.

The huge budget shortfall for the project to demolish the 110 homes on the estate, and build new houses in their place, was announced by Chichester District Community Housing (CDCH) in October.

Members of the Nappers Wood steering group told The Herald they were feeling let down by the news and are angry that they are facing an uncertain future.

At a meeting of the steering group last week, resident Steve Hubbard, said he was desperate to find a new home.

Mr Hubbard, a father of three said: "We need to know whether the plans to build new homes will go ahead or not. We can't make any plans at the moment because we don't know whether we will have a new home next year or still be stuck here."

Other Nappers Wood residents present at the meeting ,Nicky Lynn, Betty Jarvis, and Gordon Pearson, agreed with Mr Hubbard and made complaints about the condition of their homes.

Many of the homes on the estate have been deemed to have structural defects, some also suffer from damp, and are poorly insulated.

Nicky Lynn, who has two teenage daughters, said: "If we knew there was an end in sight- with a nice new house, then we could put up with living with the cold and damp.

"I have mould growing on the walls of my house and it's freezing cold in winter. It's just unbearable not knowing how long we will have to cope with it."

Earlier this year, CDCH had a choice of options for the estate. It could either refurbish all the homes; refurbish some and demolish others, building new houses in their place, or demolish all homes on the estate and replace them with new houses. It opted for the costly third option.

Some residents on the estate had already been shown plans of the proposed new development and were looking forward to moving into the houses in 2003.

Members of the steering group agreed with each other that they are "staggered" the plans had been taken so far without CDCH realising the huge budget shortfall now faced.

Defending the oversight by CDCH, Andrew Moncrieff, said the consultation had to be completed and the plans drawn up before CDCH would have an idea of the costs involved.

Mr Moncrieff said there was no way of knowing the exact cost of regeneration beforehand.

Mr Moncrieff went on to say that he "did not know" how much had already been spent by CDCH on the consultation and design projects.

The residents were due to find out about whether the district council would come up with the funding yesterday (Thursday).

Councillor John Mitchell told the steering group that he will be at the meeting of the executive committee when the decision is expected to be made.

Mr Mitchell said he would ask the portfolio holder for housing, Janet Duncton, to do all that is in her power to see that a decision is reached as soon as possible.

p Pictured below at the meeting are Nappers Wood residents Gordon Pearson, Nicky Lynn, Betty Jarvis, and Steve Hubbard, with Andrew Moncrieff, John Mitchell, and Fernhurst parish councillor, Sandy Livingstone.