THE man heading a crack design team for the Whitefield area of Nelson today urged townsfolk to get involved and said: "It's time to sort this out."

An intensive week-long project to shape the future of the area starts on November 22 and Paul Murrain, senior design director of The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment, wants as everyone to get involved in the Enquiry by Design scheme.

The Prince's Foundation - run by the Prince of Wales - got involved in Whitefield when Pendle Council's decision to compulsorily purchase 162 homes for demolition went to a second public inquiry.

The Government ruled in September 2003 the houses should be saved - but have since sat empty. The project is aimed at bringing the area back into use.

Mr Murrain said his organisation had the skills to save Whitefield: "We don't just go and engage a community which is feeling disenfranchised, we bring a well-qualified and diverse team with skills in heritage, housing and funding and agencies, bringing millions of pounds together in one place for four days, and we don't let them out. It's difficult when so many people are feeling beaten up about it.

"There is Government money that needs to be spent, and needs to be spent constructively, and it can't be because the project is not moving forward.

"We try to find a technical and political solution. Normally we make incredible progress when people thought it was hopeless at the beginning. Just give us five days, that's all we're asking for, shut your phones off and give us your attention."

The organisation has enjoyed success with similar schemes, notably at Sherford, Devon, where it worked on a project to build 4,000 new houses, a secondary school, three primary schools, a new high street, organic farm and light industrial and business units.

He added: "It is Enquiry by Design rather than enquiry by talking ourselves senseless. We have a team of designers and every time somebody says something we draw it and show what it would do.

"People can understand things like demolition, which freaks them out. They have seen houses boarded up and don't see any positive outcome from any of this. We are trying our best to achieve a win-win solution."

Enquiry by Design begins on November 22 at 7pm in the Silverman Hall and will run until November 26. The plans will then be debated by Pendle Council.