Earlier this week, Mr Farraway announced that a halt had been put on the proposed demolition of social housing properties.

Thursday's meeting, which was also attended by mayor Reg Kidd and councillor Glenn Tayor, gave him a chance to give more details to 14 residents from the East Orange action group.

The action group had held protests, written to and met with politicians, and made letter box drops after social housing residents were informed by the Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) in October that their properties faced demolition.

The residents were told they would be relocated at an unknown time to an unknown destination to make way for smaller, higher density properties.

Although the residents were relieved by the decision, Mr Farraway said the issue could come up again in the future so he encouraged them to take part in a public forum next year.

"We are going to have a public forum in the first half of next year and this is to talk about the future of the properties well into the future," Mr Farraway said.

"There will come a day when these properties in East Orange something has to be done with them.

"It doesn't matter who is in government, they will either have to be refurbished or they have to be replaced and made fit for purpose, whatever fit for purpose is."

However, he reassured residents that for now the houses and existing residents will remain.

"We have the agreement nothing is happening with these properties in the short term. I will not stand by and let anyone be forcibly removed."

Andrew McDougall from the East Orange action group said the group was grateful for Mr Farraway's representation on the issue.

"These houses are part of a heritage street space and should not be demolished," Mr McDougall said.

He said in the current form, the social housing has successfully been in the street since 1953, but it is a family area and not suitable for the single occupant higher density housing the LAHC was planning to build.