PENDLE councillors are to be asked to sell more than 100 homes in Nelson to a Government regeneration body in a deal worth £1.9million.

The homes, in the Whitefield area, were among those marked by the council for demolition in the clearance proposals thrown out by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott last September.

Now English Partnerships, the Government's national regeneration agency, is hoping to buy the boarded-up houses and has also expressed interest in buying up even more homes in the former clearance area.

It is believed the agency would wait until the Nelson Area Development Framework is completed later this year before deciding how to develop the properties.

The Whitefield area has been earmarked for early attention as the Area Development Framework is being drawn up this year.

It will create a 15-year plan for the future of the town and will form part of a bid by Elevate East Lancashire, a housing regeneration project, for millions of pounds of Government cash.

Pendle Council leader, Coun Alan Davies, said: "English Partnerships have been charged by the Government with facilitating and assisting in the housing market renewal Pathfinder initiative by making investments and partnerships in key areas.

"This investment would massively enhance the council's plans to regenerate not only Nelson West, but other parts of Nelson."

Council chief executive Stephen Barnes said: "We are committed as an authority to working in partnership with all relevant bodies to find workable solutions to some very difficult problems around low-demand housing in Nelson, Colne and Brierfield.

"This proposed investment by English Partnerships is very welcome and a major endorsement by them to ensure we succeed in improving the quality of lives of residents in Pendle."

The proposals will go before a special meeting of Pendle Council's executive on Monday.