NEIGHBOURS in the West Hendon Estate described the way they were kicked out of their homes as a “massive abuse of human rights” on a BBC documentary last night.

“The Estate We’re In” aired on BBC1 at 11.45pm and followed the lives of those who were ordered to sell their homes to make way for 2,000 new flats.

Camera crews followed residents around as they lost their fight against a compulsory purchase order at a public inquiry, held last year.

Jasmin Parsons bought her flat from the council in 1988. She told the inquiry: “This is a massive abuse of our human rights.

“For them, its pounds. For us, it’s broken promises and more tears. We were told we wouldn’t suffer but we are all suffering.”

The programme also sees Conservative council leader Richard Cornelius asking how many residents are still causing “trouble”.

The decision to regenerate the dilapidated estate caused anger as people were offered “significantly less” for their properties than the cost of the new homes in the development.

Meanwhile non-secure tenants who were housed on the estate after 2002 are also being forced to move – some outside of London.

Jackie was offered £170,000 for her home – even though the one, two and three bedroom properties on the estate and the surrounding areas are valued at £303,000 and £567,000.

Joe lived on the estate for 31 years and bought his home under the Right to Buy scheme in the 1990s – but was unable to find anywhere else to live in his price range.

He said: “They have split up the whole community, moved them anywhere and everywhere. They want to get rid of all the properties.”

The land was sold to private developer Barratts for £3 despite it being valued for £12.3million.

Although it was supposed to provide 680 social rented homes, this has now been reduced to 430 – 63 per cent.

Lee, who has lived on the estate since the 1970s, told presenters: “They say they are doing this for the benefit of the people of West Hendon but they are not.

“Show me one thing that’s to our benefit. The benefit is for them, not for us.”

The new social housing for social tenants on the estate, Bullfinch House, was built at the back of the development on a traffic island with no crossing.

Neighbours say this is “cut off” from the rest of the development, a stone’s throw away from the Welsh Harp reservoir nature reserve.

Speaking at a council meeting, community advocate Paulette Singer was filmed accusing councillors of replacing low income households with high income households.

She said: “As they watch new homes being built, they do so knowing they are unlikely to be living in one of them.”

In reply, deputy council leader Dan Thomas said: “There will always be conflicts but we are about creating vibrant new communities and providing new homes for our ever increasing population.

“I understand it’s going to be distressing but Barnet provide as much support as we can to people who have had to move.”

Over 134,000 people signed a petition calling for the residents to be allowed to remain in the community that many of them have lived in all their lives.

Council leader Richard Cornelius described the old buildings as “grotty”.