Slater Street in Middleport, pictured in March 2007. Families in the area fought a long-running campaign against RENEW North Staffordshire's plans to demolish homes. They took their case to a public inquiry in September 2008. However, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears MP, approved a compulsory purchase order (CPO) for all 237 properties in the clearance area in March 2009.