THE partners behind Blackburn’s £30 million Cathedral Quarter joined together to mark the is start of construction work, heralding a ‘new vision’ for the town in the 21st century.

The ground breaking ceremony, overlooking the partially-demolished bus station, was attended by senior church figures, council leaders and representatives of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and developer Maple Grove.

The major milestone for the project, five years in the planning, was hailed as a ‘fabulous day’ by Cathedral Dean Christopher Armstrong.

Blackburn with Darwen council leader Kate Hollern said: “This is a long-awaited day for the borough and heralds the beginning of a new vision for the town.

“With all the other things proposed in recent months, this is the start of creating a Blackburn fit for the 21st Century.”

The £30 million scheme, which includes a Premier Inn hotel, restaurants, shops, new bus interchange, a public square, landscaped gardens, and new offices, will transform one side of the town centre creating 350 jobs.

In includes the Clergy Court residential development with a refectory open to the public and cloister garden - the first since the 16th Century.

The quarter is the first part of an ambitious development plan for the town embodied in a 12-point ‘blueprint’ revealed this week including restaurants, free weekday afternoon car parking, reviving the town’s nightlife and scrapping business rates for new ventures.

The strategy includes a major revamp of the traffic system to encourage people to drive into the town to shop, eat, drink and go out for the evening; the creation of a hub new independent shops and creative industries in the town centre; and a programme of monthly events with four major festivals a year.

Council regeneration boss Maureen Bateson, who turned over the first sod of turf, said: “This marks the start of the long planned regeneration of the area. This is the start of something momentous for our town centre and borough.”

Deborah McLaughlin, from the HCA which provided millions for the development, said: “The Cathedral Quarter will be a major boost for Blackburn so it is great news that work is now underway.”