EIGHTEEN new bungalows have been let to tenants on the redeveloped, award-winning Deighton and Brackenhall estate.

The bungalows, on Ashwood Close, were built by Southdale Homes of Halifax, Kirklees Council's partner in the Deighton Brackenhall Initiative.

The bungalows have all been let to elderly and disabled people by the Housing 21 association.

Mr Walter Christopher, 86, who lived in a house in Oxley Road for 57 years, likes his new home in nearby Ashwood Close.

He said: "I prefer this house. It's quiet here and the house is lovely and warm. It has two bedrooms, central heating and double glazing. But I miss my old garden."

The old estate was set within one of the 10% most deprived council wards in the country.

A fifth of the homes were unoccupied at any one time and a radical change was needed to improve the area.

Six hundred council houses are being demolished as part of a four-year project to redevelop the estate.

And the scheme has already won a prize in the 2003 Building Homes Quality Awards in September.

The Deighton Brackenhall Initiative won the best land, planning and regeneration strategy award.

The scheme was recognised as the best in its category and beat competition from many other large schemes all round the country.

The award was presented in a ceremony at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.

Regeneration manager Peter Beck, who attended the ceremony, said: "We won the award for the innovative use of land.

"Up here, there were houses that nobody wanted to rent.

"Instead of trying to let them we took the radical step of demolishing them and putting that land to a better use.

"Some of the houses are for rent and some are for sale.

"It is a great use of a brownfield site."

Mr Beck said the scheme should bring in around £4m from the developer for community benefits.

"We need to start improving the environment along particular stretches. We want to improve traffic flow and bring in speed restrictions, so it is safe for children to play out."

Six houses in Hopkinson Road have already been let by the Brunel Housing Association.

* Around 400 of the 600 homes scheduled for demolition were occupied at the start of the initiative in 2001.

* So far, 320 council tenants have been moved out and more than 250 properties demolished.

* More than 400 houses and flats for sale will be built in the next three to four years.