The Corporation of Hamilton is teaming up with residents and home owners to improve the appearance of the "Back of Town".

As part of a scheme to improve the quality of residents' lives and the way the area looks, the Corporation is looking at ways of working with the community to spruce the area up.

The Corporation hopes the move will not only push the value of property up in the area, but will also encourage people to stay and live in North Hamilton.

The Corporation is currently completing work on one of its projects on the corner of Angle and Princess Streets which had been an eyesore to the streets.

The Corporation worked with the owners of this house in North Hamilton to come up with a design aimed at improving the immediate area.

The owners footed the bill for the building renovation, while the Corporation has spruced up the street.

New pavements have been laid, trees planted and new lamps are due to arrive on the Island soon which will be posted outside the building.

The Corporation had received numerous complaints from residents about the building which was used as a dump for car and bike parts.

Now it has been renovated with apartments and patio below at the cost of the owners, while the Corporation met the cost of the exterior.

"It is in the interest of the residents and in the interest of the Corporation to improve the way North Hamilton looks," said Roger Sherratt, secretary of the Corporation of Hamilton. "The house on the corner was the scruffiest piece of property on the whole of the block. It was used for storage of old car parts and was a dump.

"We worked with the owners and they spent a lot of money doing it up. We worked with them to come up with a design. We would like to expand this idea to other parts of North Hamilton."

He added: "What we want to see is the improvement of the physical appearance of the area. This increases the value of the homes and encourages people to stay in there."

He said the Corporation was working with a committee of North Hamilton residents and businesses for ideas to improve the area.

And he added that he hoped the Corporation would continue to work in partnership with the residents of North Hamilton to improve the appearance of the streets and the quality of life of the residents.