'Deteriorating' Stoke-on-Trent flats could be demolished

Arthur Cotton Court and Port Vale Court are two of the blocks that could go

Ten blocks of flats across Stoke-on-Trent could be demolished at a cost of up to £78m.

The city council will also consider repairing or refurbishing some of the 374 properties.

It follows a council report which said investigation work had identified "general issues of deterioration with the blocks due to design and age".

The flats were built in the early 1970s and the authority believes water could be getting into them.

The report said demolishing the majority of sites was recommended as the "only viable" options over the long term.

It said the alternatives would not deliver solutions to the issues of regulatory standards, decency and building safety.

Jane Ashworth, Labour councillor for the Burslem area where two blocks could be demolished, said: "I don't get calls about anti-social behaviour, I get calls about maintenance of the flats."

The sites affected are Arthur Cotton Court, Port Vale Court, Boundary Court, Brookfield Court, Forest Court, Dibden Court, Penkhull Court, Southern Court, Pedley Court and Robinson Court.

There are six other council-owned blocks of flats in Stoke-on-Trent which will not be affected by the plans.

The local authority's cabinet is expected to approve an eight-week consultation exercise with affected tenants and leaseholders from 1 August.