THE public will get a say on how millions of pounds of regeneration cash targeted at Blackburn town centre will be spent, council bosses pledged today.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has put together a £4.5million bid for cash from North West Development Agency to fund further improvements in the town centre.

Among schemes proposed is the creation of an Asian Gateway into the town, focusing on the Whalley Range area.

Specialist Asian businesses such as restaurants and fashion shops will be encouraged to move into the area. Other projects include:

Supporting a new hotel and business-related facilities

Improvement works to key gateways into the town such as Eanam and Audley

Further regeneration of areas around the Cathedral

Support for town centre housing

Work to attract new retail, office and leisure facilities through grants and helping acquire sites

Environmental improvements.

Coun Andy Kay, regeneration boss, said : "We have mentioned the £4.5million bid in our town centre update strategy which we are currently consulting people on. We want to hear what people think about our ideas so we can draw up priorities."

The original town centre strategy, drawn up in 1998, has helped attract cash for Church Street and the orbital route.

The ideas for the Asian Gateway and a new hotel have been broadly welcomed by the community in Blackburn as things the town needs.

People who want to comment on the plans can email regeneration@blackburn.gov.uk

In an article in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph on September 11 under the headline 'The Curry Mile' the impression was given that a scheme to transform an area into a specialist Asian quarter was costing £4.5million. We would like to point out that the scheme for an Asian Gateway at Whalley Range will use only part of the money and is part of a wider package of improvements.