A QUARTER of homes in areas of Nelson set for a revamp are unfit to live in.

That is the damning verdict of consultants Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners brought in by Pendle Council to breathe new life into the town. The company also found 20 per cent of homes are in substantial disrepair.

The consultants' answer is to demolish up to 1,100 homes, invest in up to 900 properties and build up to 450 new homes.

Pendle Council's executive director for regeneration, Brian Cookson, insists nothing has been decided yet but something needs to be done. He said: "There are 1,000 empty houses in Nelson that people do not want to buy so we have to do something about that.

"We are never going to have the resources to bring them back into good condition. We are looking at £79million investment in houses a lot of people won't want. One of the lessons learned in Pendle is that if you renovate it doesn't necessarily deal with the problems.

"We have to tackle the problems at the roots."

Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners and Social Regeneration Consultants are creating a plan called an Area Development Framework as part of a government initiative called the Housing Market Renewal scheme.

The company has been talking to residents, businesses, schools, community groups and organisations about the future of Bradley, Whitefield, Cloverhill, Walverden, Southfield and Marsden since February.

Draft proposals will be at the Civic Theatre, Stanley Street, on November 19 noon-7pm and November 20 10am-3pm.