Elderly residents of Elizabeth House have a final opportunity to have their say on the future of the sheltered housing complex on Friday.

Consultation for residents ends this week following their three year struggle to have the buildings refurbished not demolished.

Plans to demolish the complex in Cheam were first aired in July 2008.

Residents were sent a letter from Sutton Council informing them their homes were going to be knocked down and they would have to move out.

A campaign began, backed by residents and businesses to have the complex saved.

Despite the overwhelming opposition to the demolition plans, the fate of the sheltered housing was sealed in front of residents at a meeting in September 2008.

However, in an unprecedented move, contractors Viridian, in seeing the opposition to their plans, took it on board themselves to involve the residents throughout the process.

Marion Rainsford, 72, a resident of Elizabeth House, said: "After a bad start, Viridian have been great. Councillor Colin Stears, to his credit, came down on his own and apologised about how the council went about the plans.

He said they got things the wrong way round, and how they should have spoke to the residents before they announced it was to be demolished."

Despite a shaky start, residents are pleased to have been involved in the process, right down to decoration for the new building.

Mrs Rainsford said: "We could not have been more involved really. They have even made a concession to allow us to stay in the central building until there is somewhere else for us to go.

"That was down to our campaign."

Building work is due to begin on the new buildings next year.

Residents will be temporarily moved into the main building or elsewhere in the borough until the new complex is ready.