Proud home owner Basharat Hussain was delighted when he found out £400,000 of regeneration cash was to be spent on sprucing up houses in his community.

New gutters, tiles, gates, fences, sand blasting and re-pointing costing £4,000 a time is being carried out at privately-owned homes funded by the Regen 2000 single regeneration budget.

But his delight turned to dismay when he learned that his house in Gladstone Street, Barkerend, was excluded, while just a few yards away in Barkerend Road 106 properties are being spruced-up.

Mr Hussain, 32, joined dozens of other residents in the community in criticising the scheme. "It is not right at all," he said.

"This money is supposed to be for all the people in this area, not just the main road. I have no idea why they have done this. Why should we miss out?"

He said the cash would be better spent on providing parking and repairing damaged verges and grassed areas.

Mian Singh, of Thornbury Drive, off Leeds Old Road, agreed the funding has caused a rift in the community.

Mr Singh, 29, who lives with his parents, wife and son, said: "There is a lot of bad feeling in this area because of this."

Barkerend Road has been singled out for the work because the regeneration board sees it as a "gateway" into the city.

Regen 2000 has £28.5 million to spend up to 2007 in the BD3 postal area, which centres on Barkerend, Bradford Moor, Otley Road and Leeds Road.

Residents are being asked to contribute £100 to the improvements if they are jobless and £200 if they are in employment.

Regen 2000 officers confirmed residents will not be asked to sign contracts promising they will not sell their home after work has been done and only a couple of households had refused the offer. Mohammed Shaukat, chairman of Regen 2000, said: "First impressions are lasting impressions and this is one of the first places people see on their way into Bradford."

He added: "We are not looking at housing in isolation. It is just one part of a larger scheme which we hope will bring employment to the area and improve the economic situation."

Mr Shaukat said the decision to spend money on the houses was made by a board of 27 people, including residents, community directors, police, housing and health officers and local businessmen. He said: "This scheme will be good for the whole of the area. I live in the Regen 2000 area but not on Barkerend Road and I think it will benefit everyone in the community. Pictured are Nasim Qureshi and Mohammed Shaukat of the regeneration committee with Delroy Beverely