VISITORS to East Lancashire are set to be greeted by six huge sculptures as part of a project to attract tourists.

East Lancashire's six councils and art groups such as Mid Pennine Arts have drawn up plans for the £1million scheme, which is due to be unveiled later this month.

The works will be on vantage points above key roads -- with the working title The Panopticons Project -- although some people have already expressed concern about the cost of the scheme.

They are already being compared to Gateshead's 65ft high Angel of the North, which cost in the region of £800,000, and some of the local sculptures could be of a similar size.

So far, £600,000 has been found for the project -- £200,000 coming from the East Lancashire Regional Park fund and £400,000 from the North West Development Agency, which allocates government cash for regeneration projects.

The proposed locations include Crown Point, Burnley, Wycoller Country Park, Pendle, and Top O' The Slate, above Rawtenstall as well as sites to the west of the area.

A group called the East Lancashire Environmental Arts Network has been set up by the councils and art groups to mastermind the scheme.

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The Royal Institute of British Architects will run a competition to get designs which must be "eye-catching" and be seen as significant architectural structures.

A report to county councillors states: "The panopticons are to be located on six high-point sites on key access routes into the East Lancashire Regional Park and will command stunning views.

"The RIBA competition will be looking for designs initially for three of the sites, one of which is part of Wycoller Country Park, owned by Lancashire County Council."

Initially, designs are being sought for three of the sites. Three other sites will follow, along with a mobile sculpture, which will move around East Lancashire.

The Regional Park concept was announced in 2001 by the East Lancashire Partnership, made up of local councils, and is supported by £5million of Government money and private cash.

It involves projects within the boundaries of East Lancashire's six local authorities -- Blackburn with Darwen, Ribble Valley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale and Burnley.

Public art may not have a direct link with regenerating rundown areas. But a spokesman for Sussex-based tourism consultants Locum Destinations said: "Ultimately, the role of cultural projects at the regional level is not to employ hundreds of people or make huge profits, but rather to help create a regional destination brand. In turn, this is capable of winning the hearts and minds of visitors and investors."

He used the Angel of the North as an example. It has attracted around 150,000 visitors a year.

Blackburn with Darwen has also invested heavily in public art in its town centres.

Burnley councillor Peter Kenyon, who is also vice-chairman of Mid Pennine Arts, said: "I think it is a really exciting idea to have these six pieces of architecture at view points above each of the boroughs.

"They will definitely attract a lot of interest and lead to a significant boost in tourism."

But Ribble Valley Tory MP Nigel Evans said: "It will be a gross waste of money. The odd special piece of art such as the Angel of the North, I applaud, but to spend close on £1million on six pieces of art in the current situation would be wrong."