A NEW Healthy Living Centre is set to be developed in Burnley, thanks to £1m of lottery cash.

The centre, which will be based in the Daneshouse area of the town, will offer a fully-equipped gym as well as healthy living classes and nutritional advice.

Tackling areas of poor health and nutritional deprivation was highlighted as one of the key areas in the Task Force report which followed last summer's disorder.

The £993,335 to pay for the centre has come from the New Opportunities Fund from income generated by the National Lottery.

Although all areas of the country were eligible to bid for cash, areas of poor health like Daneshouse were favoured.

Work on the centre is likely to start in January next year with a scheduled completion date of October 2003.

Cath Galaska, of the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust, who bid for the money and will take part in running the centre, said: "The project embraces a number of health promoting initiatives which will be centered on a new building.

"The centre will form the hub of a healthy living network providing a gym, steam room, sauna, complementary and creative therapy, community cafe and creche.

"In addition there will be large number of sessions, including smoking cessation, diabetes and fitness mentors, luncheon clubs, support groups, health awareness and community safety initiatives."

The partnership which will run the centre will be made up of members of the community, to be known as the Daneshouse Community Economic Development Trust, the Primary Care Trust, and borough and county council.