Revival plan for estate

New Progress Housing want to build a community centre and children's centre in Royal Avenue, Wade Hall where there have been problems with drugs and anti-social behaviour.

Three shops on the road will be bulldozed and rebuilt alongside the new centres, together with a car park.

Drugs, gangs of young people and fly-tipping have been a problem on the site for the past few years.

Gareth Jackson, group director of development and new business at New Progress Housing, said: "There's land behind the shops that's been quite difficult to manage.

"We hope to get rid of this and think the redevelopment will put a heart back into the community.

He continued: "We've already invested £9 million on Wade Hall in seven years and refurbished nearly 200 houses.

"This is the last piece of the jigsaw."

Planning permission will be sought this year and Mr Jackson hopes work, which will take 12 months, will begin early in 2005.

Sandra Sharples, 35, of Westmorland Close, who works in Leadbeater's Newsagents, one of the shops which will be demolished, welcomed the redevelopment

"I'm pleased they're not re-building the flats because of drug problems and the shops need to come down because they're in a bad state," she said.

"I have four children and they'll be able to use the centres and it will help improve the look of the area.

"But Wade Hall is not as bad as some people think. I've lived here 10 years and never had trouble."

Wade Hall councillor, Fred Heyworth, said: "I'm very excited because I've wanted a community centre in Wade Hall for years.

"The estate is a different place than it used to be and it has really turned around."

PC John Brady, community beat manager for the area confirmed there had been problems with drug-related incidents and with young people gathering around the shops.

South Ribble Borough Council's cabinet approved £20,000 funding for the project, at a meeting at the Civic Centre, Leyland on July 28.