HOUSING estates could become "poverty ghettos" where people cannot afford to take a job, a Bolton councillor claims.
Liberal Democrat Cllr David Wilkinson hit out at the high rents in some housing association schemes.
"People are now saying that they cannot go to work because they would not be able to pay their rent if they were not on benefit.
"There are already areas which are poverty ghettos and I can see that it will only get worse."
His comments came during an update report on the pioneering Bolton Community homes scheme. Bolton Council has given away land and joined forces with housing associations to build 1,600 homes over the last five years.
Mr Nick Moule, housing research and development manager, said: "The Bolton Community Homes scheme has allowed us to keep rents lower than in other towns because we are in partnership with housing associations."
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