Long-awaited plans to knock down nearly 100 run-down flats and replace them with 188 new homes have finally been submitted – eight years after they were first discussed.

Red Kite Community Housing first mooted plans to demolish the Castlefield star blocks in Pettifer Way and Chairborough Road when they took over Wycombe District Council’s housing stock in 2011.

The huge regeneration project was initially due to get underway in summer 2017 – but a planning application has just been submitted to Wycombe District Council at the end of last week.

If given the green light, the empty and dilapidated blocks of flats will be knocked down and replaced with 66 one-bed flats, 66 two-bed flats and two three-bed townhouses on the northern site and 24 one-bed flats, 24 two-bed flats and six four-bed houses on the southern site.

They would all have associated car and cycle parking, gardens, play space, public open space and landscaping.

However, the steep nature of the site has caused some problems for Red Kite – rendering much of the outdoor space “unusable” because of the slopes – meaning the estimated cost of the build is “much higher” compared to a flat scheme, planning documents say.

Engineering works including a new road and ramped access will cost around £5.5 million alone and the housing company is expected to plough in up to £13.2 million to make the project happen – but has admitted that if the costs go any higher, it could become unfeasible.

It is projected to cost around £36 million in total. They have already spent £3.1 million on buying back leaseholder property and £500,000 on moving tenants of the flats elsewhere in preparation for the redevelopment. A report put together by Savills on behalf of Red Kite says the new flats will replace “poorly designed, inefficient and derelict blocks”. It says: “This planning application is submitted at the time of a national housing crisis and represents a scheme which provides an attractive place to live with a high quality design, generous levels of public open space, play space and amenity space, good levels of parking and an overall well designed, safe and inclusive neighbourhood.

“Red Kite want the Castlefield Estate to be a catalyst for regeneration of the wider area. High Wycombe… will receive a revitalised place for people to live, the eradication of a vacant derelict site which is currently the source of much crime and anti-social behaviour and significant social contributions from Red Kite such as community support, training and events.”