FUNDING for a £1.6million drop-in centre for drug users in Burnley town centre has been secured in principle.

Architects are now looking at a number of possible town centre sites for the project, which is being developed by the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust (PCT) and the East Lancashire Drug Action Team.

The PCT has bid for money from the Urban II and SRB 6 funding pots fund the scheme, which has been in the planning stages for some time.

Chris Rosson, who is involved in the project, told a meeting of the PCT board last year that there was a gap in drug treatment services in the town, which was highlighted in the Burnley Drugs Audit, undertaken by Manchester University in 2001.

The proposed new facility, which would include a needle exchange, a low threshold prescribing service, aftercare and an advice and information service, would ensure that the town had a comprehensive treatment service for drug and alcohol users.

Mr Rosson said: "In most other areas there is a comprehensive range of services, which Burnley doesn't have.

"This project is trying to develop some of these services in one base. We will have treatment and other services working more effective together."

Tony Harrison, a non-executive director of the PCT, who is chairing the working group, said: "We have got the estates people on board looking for a suitable property in the town centre."