THE renovation of a run-down housing estate in Cricklewood could be under threat if more money is not found for the work.

The Granville Road estate has long been neglected and needs a substantial amount of work to be done to bring it up to the basic standards the Government has set for social housing.

Barnet Council has so far secured £11 million of an estimated £14 million needed to bring the three blocks of flats up to scratch.

But most of the money has come from Government grants that could be withdrawn if the work does not begin soon.

Councillor Lynne Hillan, cabinet member for community services, said the money already secured will be enough to give the estate a "facelift".

She said: "We are preparing to replace the communal windows and expect the work to start on site in October."

She said the council hopes to appoint a contractor to rennovate the housing blocks both internally and externally by October next year.

"We are moving ahead to improve the lives of all residents as quickly as possible,” she added.

44 leaseholders living in the estate will be required to meet some of the cost, an issue which has been a source of contention in other housing estates in the borough.

The 179 flats in the three tower blocks on the estate are damp with broken windows, prompting ward councillor Monroe Palmer to describe it as a “war time sink estate” last year.

Last year period Barnet Homes, which manages the estate for the council, needed to pay for more than 800 repairs to flats in the properties.

In November residents formed the Granville Road Residents Association to pressure the council into delivering promises to bring the estate up to scratch.

The council will soon begin a tendering process to discover how much of the work can be done using the grants already promised.