A West Hendon Estate resident said the decision to allow residents a vote on whether or not their homes should be demolished is a “step in the right direction” but they still need “more control” over their homes.

The West Hendon Estate regeneration project began in 2002 when residents were given a vote on plans by Barnet council to knock down existing homes and build 2,000 new ones.

But the scheme has faced criticism and backlash from both MPs and tenants living on the estate. It has been argued that many residents lost their homes as a result of it with the regeneration work still in progress.

Earlier this week, London Mayor Sadiq Khan made it mandatory for social housing estate residents to take a vote on whether or not their homes are demolished as a funding condition for regeneration schemes.

Jasmin Parsons, has been living on the estate for 30 years and welcomed the decision by Mr Khan.

Although she voted against the regeneration, Ms Parsons said that when the plans were originally proposed, residents did vote in favour of plans to rebuild the West Hendon Estate on the promise that all residents would be given a home.

But in 2015, residents claimed that Barratt Homes, which was in charge of the project offered them £175,000 for a two-bedroom flat and £115,000 for a one-bedroom flat under compulsory purchasing powers.

Barratt Homes says that leaseholder negotiations were settled around £215,000 for a one-bed and £165,000 for a two-bed, plus statutory compensation, after a “rigorous” independent valuation exercise.

Ms Parsons said: “It’s not going to stop the demolitions but it’s a step in the right direction.”

One of the conditions of the mandatory ballots include setting out clearly how funding can be clawed back when a project is complete if it is found not to honour the original offer from the landlord.

Other conditions include making the voting age 16 and making sure an independent body undertakes the balloting process.

Ms Parsons belives residents should be told what will actually happen with estate regeneration schemes and that the whole planning process needs to be more transparent.

She said: “Residents have to oversee the scheme and must be involved in the all the planning policy and see the planning documents beforehand.”

Ms Parsons felt plans before the initial ballot and during the consultation process were not clear.

She said: “The council brought ballots in, got people to vote and then told us what the plans would be.”

“Residents need far more control; they can’t just be sat on the side-lines and ask what door they want or what colour the want the kitchen to be.”

Mr Khan said: “When estate regeneration is done well, it can improve the lives of existing residents as well as building more social housing. But that has not always been the case.

“Anyone drawing up plans for estate regeneration must involve local people and must consider what impact their plans will have on people who live there now.”