ANGRY residents have told council chiefs their community would be destroyed if a landmark block of flats is demolished.

Wrexham County Borough Council chiefs face a repair bill of up to £17.5m to bring the Hightown flats up to scratch.

But if they decide after a three- month consultation with residents they cannot afford the cost then the massive block may have to be demolished.

It means residents, some of whom have lived there for 30 years or more, will have to look for a new home.

Currently there are 181 units. But, after surveys showed the flats were in need of repairs and structural strengthening to bring them up to today’s standards, 59 have not been relet until their future is decided.

To carry out full £17.5m repairs would cost the equivalent of £90,000 per flat.

The council’s budget for a year for its housing stock is £12.5m.

At a meeting last week council chiefs said the Assembly had told them there was no extra cash.

They would have to look for other funding streams to carry out the work.

Jason Cambridge, 38, who has lived there for 12 years, asked: “If they do decide to demolish – will we be allowed to move back if a housing association takes over?”

“The Welsh Assembly will spend money say on renovating Wrexham museum but when it comes to people’s homes, they don’t want to know.”

Elizabeth Davies, who has lived there for 30 years, said: “We have a wonderful community spirit.

“It would be the destruction of a community.”

Five options are on the table from doing nothing, minimal repairs to a full overhaul or demolition.

Council officers were keen to stress no decisions have yet been taken and they were keen to get all residents views.

Cllr Mike Morris said the only realistic options were major repairs or demolition and insists the council has to be open with residents.

He said: “We don’t want to build people’s hopes up on things we can’t deliver.”