A MASSIVE investment in an Old Trafford housing estate could see the area transformed.

A total of £2million over two years has been allocated to Addison Estate from the council housing investment programme and an additional £860,000 has been secured through the Government Home Zone scheme.

Members of the community from the Addison Estate have worked with Trafford council over the last two years to change the image of the estate.

Regeneration work will concentrate on tackling the problems that concern the residents - crime, anti-social behaviour, poor security and a declining sense of community.

Executive member for housing, Cllr Joyce Acton said: "Everyone likes to feel they are in control of their lives and looking forward to a bright future. Residents of declining housing estates are no different.

"The strong partnership formed during the project will make sure that the estate is left with a strong community that will be self-sustaining at the end of the project and lay the foundation for all future achievements on the estate."

Residents on the estate have agreed with the council on improvements and upgrades that will be carried out on council owned homes, including the installation of new uPVC windows. A number of environmental and highways safety schemes are planned for later this year.

A new community resource centre has been opened on the estate in a renovated council house and the council hopes to appoint a manager for it, a post paid for by the council and the European Regional Development Fund.

The resource centre will provide a number of facilities to the local community such as youth clubs, an IT suite, training and employment courses, advice surgeries and childcare.

Strategic director Gary Pickering said: "In a unique partnership residents have influenced and reversed the decline of the estate. The project has been an opportunity to engage with young people, often seen as the contributing factor to the problems of a community, in a unique way and has fostered new ways of working.

"Furthermore, the issues and concerns of the people living on the Estate have formed part of the Neighbourhood Action Plan."