RESIDENTS in the Redearth Street clearance area of Darwen are all set to meet council bosses.

Council leader Kate Hollern has organised a meeting at Derwent Hall next Wednesday in a bid to reassure the residents.

MP Janet Anderson, who recently slammed the council's handling of the proposed regeneration of the area and lack of information made available, says the confusion must be cleared up.

She said: "I would like to thank Kate Hollern for initiating the meeting. We will have to restrict it to people affected by this, so they will have been sent a letter from the council which they will have to show on the door."

Mrs Anderson and regeneration director Graham Burgess are expected to attend the meeting and ward councillor Dave Smith said he hoped the discussion would dispel rumours about the scheme making way for a mosque.

He said: "We are hoping people can ask questions about things they are concerned about and council officers will be able to answer them. Hopefully it will also quash the ridiculous rumours about what the site will be used for.

"When anything gets knocked down in Darwen, it's always the same. When the old Propsect Mill was knocked down it was apparently going to be a big mosque and when Tullyallan School closed people said that was going to be an asylum-seeker centre.

"Now people are saying this site at Redearth Street is making way for a mosque.

"Some of this area has already been declared a clearance area while other streets haven't been decided on. I have had calls from people not wanting their houses knocking down and calls from others who want to move out."

Council bosses say it is more economically viable to demolish than renovate but have insisted there are no specific plans for developming the site.

A decision on whether houses in surrounding streets, including Sudell Road, Star Street and Sunnybank Street, will be demolished or renovated will be made next month.