JUST one resident is now holding up the £100m redevelopment of a Southampton estate.

Labour civic chiefs say they are now set to seize the remaining property at Townhill Park after failing to reach an agreement with the owner.

However, they say work to knock down other blocks will begin within weeks while confirming that there will be council houses on the site after all.

The plans for 675 new homes to replace the dilapidated estate have been in the pipeline for several years and work to knock down the blocks is set to take place this year.

However there have been concerns that the plans have stalled and that there is not enough funding to see through a proper regeneration - claims Labour deny.

Last year, Labour had warned that Government changes to social rent could leave them £33m worse off in the next four years, and £493m over the next three decades.

They said that meant there may now not be any council homes as a result - but now say 50 council homes will be built in the first phase of the regeneration project thanks to a grant from the Homes and Communities Agency.

City housing boss Warwick Payne said the rest of the 276 homes built in the initial phase would be offered through the Government-backed first-time buyer Starter Home scheme.

He said plans to fund the second and third phases, and what type of houses they would contain, were subject to the final agreement on devolution of powers to Hampshire, which is currently being negotiated with Government.

He said funding may also come from a development company the council is setting up.

Last year the Daily Echo revealed that three residents in a block on Meggeson Avenue were holding up the development by refusing to move out.

The council has now agreed deals to move out the two council tenants, but a leaseholder is still refusing to budge.

Cllr Payne says the council will now be looking to seize the flat through a compulsory purchase order so they can get on with the work, with the council's cabinet likely to approve the move at its meeting tomorrow.

He said: "What we are going to propose to do is demolish the buildings that are empty.

"That will run throughout most of 2016.

"As for the block where the person is living, we will not be able to demolish the block while they are living there."

As well as the empty blocks of flats, the empty Ark public house is also set to be torn down to make way for the new development.

A developer to build the new flats is likely to be appointed by the end of the year, with work then set to start next summer.

Conservative opposition housing spokesman David Fuller described Labour's handling of the project as a "shambles", saying: "We have heard time and time again that something is going to happen but it hasn't, so I'm sceptical about the timeframe.

"I think residents will welcome the demolition of the blocks, which have become eyesores, but with regards to the compulsory purchase orders, this should all have been done years ago."