People living close to where Liverpool's first council homes in three decades are set to be built have said that the new properties could 'destroy their community'.
More than 100 homes are set to be built on a square of open land in the city's Yew Tree ward as part of a massive new house building plan by the council.
City mayor Joe Anderson has said the plans, part of an overall target to build 10,000 homes in the city, are important to provide affordable and high quality homes to families.
But local woman Carolyn Taylor, whose home sits just across the road from where the new homes will be built, said there were people in the area who were 'filled with dread about the new homes'.
And she said neighbours who had known people on other sides of the square for years would be isolated from each other by the houses.
Ms Taylor said: "People are so worried about this. We built a community here in this area.
"A lot of people here weren't from this part of Liverpool necessarily - it's taken years but we have built up a community.
"These new homes will cut us off from people across the square."
She added that there had been frustration among neighbours that a number of homes in the area appeared to have stood empty for a long time.
Ms Taylor said: "There are homes very close by that are empty - I don't understand why these new homes are being built while there are empty properties."
The plans for the new homes were approved by the council's planning committee number of months ago.
They stand to be the first council-housing built in Liverpool in more than thirty years after Mayor Anderson came to an agreement with central government about waving an existing debt on the council's housing account.
A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council said neighbours have been consulted on the proposals for the site as part of the planning process.
He said: “Objections were received to the scheme and these were considered by the Planning Committee at the time in determining the planning application.
“The council alongside its house-building company Foundations, will continue to listen to and work with the community to ensure that the new housing plans for this area will significantly improve the quality of the neighbourhood and deliver lasting improvements for all residents.”
Ms Taylor had also said that a promised children's play area near where the new houses will be hadn't been fully completed.
The council spokesman said: “The children’s play area which was installed last year has been completed and it is hoped that the Section 106 monies from the new housing development will be used to enhance further the park and play area.”
