Preparations are being made to demolish a "beautiful" Victorian property amid calls for new development to support the community.

The council has confirmed that The Elms on Elms Close in Whitefield will be demolished over the coming weeks after the state of the building was judged to costly to repair.

The property, which was subdivided into five flats, has been vacant for around four years due to extensive and severe dry rot.

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The council estimated the cost of repairing the house would be more than £1m before announcing it would be demolished in July last year.

In a statement issued last year, Cllr Clare Cummings, cabinet member for housing services at the council, said the building would risk attract anti-social behaviour, including fly-tipping and arson.

She added that the land would be redeveloped in accordance with the local authority’s housing strategy.

Elms Close resident, Trish Divinney, said she is sad to see the building go but would like any future developments on the land to consider the community of mostly older people.

She said: “It’s a beautiful building, it’s a shame (it’s being demolished).

“Everybody’s wondering what’s going to go there, they mainly don’t want an HMO.

“Everybody that lives on Elms Crescent is elderly or disabled and they don’t like change.”

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Trish, 62, said the area is not necessarily suitable for families due to the age and needs of the current residents.

She added: “Its not an environment for children, I’d like to see it become supported living apartments (for the elderly)."

The council says that an independent options appraisal and market testing is currently under way to establish the best future use of the site.

The property is still standing at this moment, but the demolition company is on site making preparations for demolition.