Proposals to improve more than 100 of England’s worst council estates are to be outlined by the prime minister.
Writing in the Sunday Times, David Cameron said “brutal high-rise towers” and bleak housing will be torn down in a bid to tackle “decades of neglect” that contributed to crime.
The initiative will be headed by Lord Heseltine, who oversaw regeneration in Liverpool and London in the 1980s.
Labour says a bigger scheme with more investment is required.
Details of the plans will be set out in a keynote speech by Mr Cameron on Monday.
He is also due to announce the doubling of government funding for relationship counselling for troubled families and relaunch a coalition proposal to issue vouchers for parenting classes.
In his article, he argues housing estates, “especially those built just after the war, are actually entrenching poverty in Britain – isolating and trapping many of our families and communities.”
Mr Cameron said: “Within these so-called sink estates, behind front doors, families build warm and welcoming homes.
“But step outside in the worst estates and you’re confronted by concrete slabs dropped from on high, brutal high-rise towers and dark alleyways that are a gift to criminals and drug dealers.
“Poverty has become entrenched, because those who could afford to move have understandably done so.”
He cited analysis which suggests almost three-quarters of people involved in the riots in England in 2011 came from such estates.
‘Starting again’
Although no estates have yet been identified, a total of £140m will be made available to help community groups, councils and housing associations with planning and early construction costs.
A panel to be chaired by Lord Heseltine will report on how investment from bodies like pension funds might be unlocked and draw up a list of sites that could benefit from regeneration.
It will also consider how to get past blockages in the planning process.
Outlining his plans to transform estates, Mr Cameron said: “For some, this will simply mean knocking them down and starting again. For others, it might mean changes to layout, upgrading facilities and improving local road and transport links.”
He said some of the “wasted” land on “poorly laid-out estates” could be used to build private homes.
Shadow housing minister John Healey said: “Any extra to help councils build new homes is welcome but Conservative ministers have halved housing investment since 2010 and are doing too little to deal with the country’s housing pressures.
“People simply won’t see this small-scale scheme stretched over 100 estates making much difference to the housing problems in their area.”