RUNDOWN buildings in a Swindon square and shopping precinct are to be levelled in a multi-million pound make-over.

Residents living near Marlowe Avenue's shops and Sussex Square have been urging Swindon Council to do something with the sites for years.

Now it has emerged the council is looking for a developers to overhaul both areas - and is confident it can have both schemes complete by 2010.

"We have been shouting to get these works done for five years," said Walcot councillor Mavis Childs.

"Where these areas are old and tired they are bringing in the wrong people.

"We know that people won't go to the Marlowe Avenue shops after dark.

"And in Sussex Place things have got so bad that there's one block that I call vagrants' paradise.

"We have been saying to the regeneration people for years please can we pull that building down?'.

"Now I just can't wait for the first brick to come down and then for the first one to go up."

In Marlowe Avenue the council will knock down the shopping precinct and maisonettes and flats in the building.

The site developer will then be able to use the land, and a neighbouring green space, to create 30 new homes and a number of new shops.

The plans for exactly what will happen in Sussex Square are not yet as clear - the council is considering six different schemes.

But both schemes will have millions of pounds pumped into them, both will see council properties demolished and that if needs be the council will use compulsory purchase orders powers to acquire sites it needs for the scheme.

"It is a big job," said Coun David Renard, cabinet member for housing, health and social care.

"And I think for the people in these communities these changes can't come soon enough.

"But frankly I think we will have partners queuing up to take part in this.

"It would be great if we could do all this in the next 12 months.

"But we have such a big agenda that there isn't the capacity to deliver in that time.

"We will be working very hard to deliver this by 2010."