A VISION for the regeneration of Pendle into a thriving and prosperous area has been set out by the council.

The authority's Local Plan, which sets out broad issues affecting the borough such as housing and the environment, is up for renewal and a new plan for the next 10 years is being prepared.

The key aim of the new plan is to set out the vision for the future of Pendle focusing on the main topics of environment, housing, employment, town centres and retailing, transport and community, recreation and leisure.

Pendle Borough Council have adopted the vision to "develop Pendle into a thriving and prosperous place" where people choose to live and work, which has a strong economy, where there is a choice of good quality housing, with vibrant towns, where there is a continual increase in skills and education and where civic pride is fostered through cultural, sporting and other activities.

The first stage in the review of the Local Plan is the preparation of a Key Issues report, looking at the above issues, following which the plan itself will be prepared.

The council's planning manager Christine Douglas, said: "The Local Plan must address the collapse of the local housing market and promote ways of tackling unfit housing. Ways will have to be found of securing a wide mix of house types and tenures which give real choice.

"Those areas that people consider to be affected by high levels of vacancy, crime, fear of crime and anti-social behaviour will require physical measures to be put in place."