MOST of the residents of the crumbling Flint maisonettes have now moved out.
The dilapidated blocks are eerily quiet now many of the homes are empty and of the residents who remain it is thought only a handful have yet to choose a new place to live.
Many have already been rehoused nearby.
he maisonettes are expected to be demolished in the next six months, paving the way for new homes.
The 241 maisonettes had fallen into a state of disrepair with residents complaining of damp, leaking windows and cracking walls.
They will be replaced with new social housing comprising one-bed and two-bed flats and apartments which will be available to rent and part-buy.
The Coleshill Lea maisonettes have been torn down and Hills Lea, Feathers Lea and Earls Lea will follow.
Flintshire councillor Alex Aldridge said: “It’s progressing really well.
“There’s been a significant movement of people indicating where they want to live and the council being able to accommodate it.
“In my ward, Coleshill, it’s quite clear the overwhelming majority of individuals have now moved to a location of their choice.
“We are dealing sensitively with the remaining tenants.
“There are about 10 to 12 families who are in the final stages of identifying the area they would like to move to.
“In the next few weeks we will see machinery moving and the other units will start coming down.”
He said as soon as the maisonettes were empty plans could move forward to create buildings the community could be proud of.
“What is key to us is asking residents how they would like to see the layout and the design, the appearance of their homes,” said Cllr Aldridge.
“We want to make sure we introduce the right kind of building that has the ‘wow’ factor and a real community feel.”
He added: “I am hoping by the summer we can see the dismantling of further maisonettes.
“We want to bring in the kind of developers that can challenge us and we can challenge them to come up with a real centrepiece right at the heart of the town so we can see a phoenix rise out of the ashes of the Flint maisonettes.”
Clare Budden, head of housing at Flintshire Council, said: “The removal of the Flint maisonettes has been highlighted as a priority and more than half of residents in the maisonettes have been relocated – with the majority finding new homes in Flint.
“The regeneration of the maisonettes is ongoing and we are continuing to work with our tenants and residents to try to match people to a property that suits their needs.
“It is our intention to see a further two blocks emptied and demolished within the next six months."