300 Burnley and Padiham properties set for Elevate facelift

1:10pm Thursday 24th July 2008

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A FACELIFTING housing programme across Burnley will see 300 properties upgraded over the next two years.

Controversy is still raging amid claims that the Elevate initiative in Burnley and Padiham has been too slow in improving rows of empty homes in some of the borough’s poorest neighbourhoods.

But borough council housing bosses this week backed a £4million progra-mme which will see houses in Piccadilly, Burnley Wood, Daneshouse and South West Burnley renovated.

The scheme will mainly see the frontages of the properties given a new lease of life.

But some householders whose properties back on to new housing develop-ments will see the back of their properties revamped also.

Coun Martin Smith, who is the cabinet member for regeneration and econ-omic development, claimed the facelifting programme was the largest-ever in Burnley’s history.

He added: “It is great news and shows that the council continues to spend what we have quickly and effectively.

“However, facelifting is just part of the solution and big challenges remain: empty properties, rock bottom house prices, and declining populations. This is why we just must continue pressing the government for more funding for Burnley.”

The scheme is intended to build confidence in the housing market and prevent further decline in areas suffering from large numbers of empty prop-erties and exceptionally low house prices.

Mike Cook, the council housing and regeneration director, added: “Face-lifting raises pride, it prevents further neigh-bourhood decline and improves perceptions of the borough as many of these properties lie both in areas of most need, but also on key gateways into Burnley.

“We are determined to ensure that these neigh-bourhoods stand equal alongside others in the borough and that the borough stands equal alongside others in the North West.”

More than 900 properties have been spruced up through methods such as stone-cleaning and gutt-ering and pointing work in recent years.