Many people might have been surprised by the level of reaction to the plan to demolish large swathes of the Ravenscliffe estate and build new homes there in an area to be renamed Holywell Village.

The estate has developed such a bad reputation in recent years and much of the property is in such poor condition with many houses boarded up and derelict that it could be considered an ideal candidate for a major makeover. Yet the 370 signatures collected by campaigners opposing the revamp plans present the other side of the picture.

It is easy, in the enthusiastic drive to rescue Ravenscliffe from its reputation, to overlook the fact that the houses are people's homes. Not all are crumbling with neglect. Many residents have lived in them for years and looked after them, and are strongly attached to them.

If only the majority had shared their sense of pride and responsibility there would have been no need for this planned mass clearance. Sadly, though, they have been in a minority which is why the conclusion has been reached that large chunks of the estate should be demolished.

The question is whether those houses that could be saved are in neat blocks close together or whether they are individual gems surrounded by decay. If the latter is the case and the area is to pull itself up by its bootstraps, harsh as it might seem some people might have to be asked to give up their property for the good of the community as a whole - a particularly difficult challenge for those who have bought their homes and must be properly compensated for their sacrifice.