The scheme has refurbished more than 40,000 houses in six years

The government Pathfinder programme was set up to renovate housing in deprived areas, but it has met opposition from some residents against redevelopment.

The Merseyside New Heartlands scheme will get �152m over three years and East Lancashire Elevate �150m.

The Manchester Salford scheme will also receive �140m and Oldham Rochdale Partners in Action �90m.

The comes as part of �1bn government bid to "restore stable communities".

About 1,100 homes have been built, 40,000 refurbished and 10,200 demolished in the nine existing areas since the scheme started in 2002.

A campaign was launched by a group of local residents in Liverpool to save a group of houses in Toxteth earmarked for demolition as part of the Pathfinder programme.

This substantial funding will help to bring real change to places which only five years ago were facing decline and abandonment Housing minister Iain Wright

Residents of the nearby Edge Lane widening scheme were also against their houses being knocked down and new ones being built.

They claimed perfectly good houses were being destroyed along with the character of the city and some of its close-knit communities.

Elsewhere the scheme has been welcomed.

The National Audit Office also recently labelled the scheme "high risk" as it was unclear if this intervention would lead to improvement in these areas.

But ministers claim the money will be used to regenerate run down areas where a large proportion of houses remain empty and unsaleable and offer more appropriate housing.

Housing minister Iain Wright said: "This substantial funding will help to bring real change to places which only five years ago were facing decline and abandonment.

"This is a long-term programme, and there is still much work to do. The Pathfinder scheme has already made great progress in these areas, and this money will help bridge the gaps that still remain."