COUNCIL bosses hope to finally start demolishing the rundown Clune Park estate next year, the Tele can reveal.

The Tele reported in July how the local authority had purchased 165 properties and slapped 'closing orders' on another 90, meaning that no one can move into them.

Council chiefs have been trying to flatten the eyesore estate for many years but have been thwarted until now.

There are 430 flats at Clune Park and six buildings are subject to active demolition orders.

Council leader Stephen McCabe says plans are progressing 'reasonably well' and he hopes the bulldozers will be sent in soon.

He told the Tele: "We are progressing our strategy of acquiring all the properties to demolish them and we are progressing closing orders.

"It has been a long haul to get here.

"We are continuing to engage with people who have properties in the area and we are trying to reach agreements with them in terms of acquiring the properties.

"Officers are hopeful that some time next year, we may well have sufficient properties that we can start to demolish in terms of at least one of the blocks.

"Things are moving forward.

"I can see the end game."

Council officials say that many of the flats are 'riddled with dry rot and their floors either won’t bear a person’s weight or have collapsed already'.

They add that many of the blocks have 'developed serious structural issues' which could lead to masonry falling from the buildings or cause partial or total collapse.

Only around 20 residents remain on the estate, with some buildings lying completely empty.

Clune Park was once a popular neighbourhood but it became blighted by crime and anti-social behaviour and the buildings have fallen into significant disrepair over a sustained period.

They have been increasingly being targeted by firestarters and vandals.

Holes have also been smashed in the walls between flats as criminals move through the buildings searching for metal to steal.

Councillor McCabe says there is still a lot of work to do to flatten Clune Park and regenerate it.

He said: "We will continue to work and engage with the Scottish Government and call for them to support us with our strategy in terms of acquiring properties and potentially provide some funding for new a new build development on the site.

"I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

"If we get to say spring/summer next year and we have actively started the demolition, that's a clear sign that the end game is in sight, albeit it will still take a protracted period of time until we acquire them all."