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Consultants were appointed last year to look at existing council estates, housing association developments, private rented homes and owner-occupied properties across the north area.

A report on the findings was due in December. The conclusions have still not been published but town hall chiefs are hoping to release the report in the next two weeks.

Researchers have been studying the quality of housing in the area as well as the variety and availability of homes in different locations from Blackley to Monsall.

They have been weighing up where communities are lacking in some type of properties and over provided in others leading to homes standing empty in some areas while there are queues elsewhere.

The final report will be used to plan future housing developments and to decide whether to carry out demolition in some places where houses are unpopular or derelict.

Cllr Bill Risby

He said: "We have some areas where there are good quality family-sized houses but there aren?t enough of them for people growing up in north Manchester to stay here and raise their own families.

"On the other hand we?ve got some types of property standing empty because they?re not what people are looking for and this has led to some areas going into a spiral of decline.

"This report should show us what we?ve got and help us focus on ideas that will help make the area more attractive, revive our communities and put the life back into north Manchester."