A MULTI-million pound scheme to renew an area of Stacksteads is still planned to go ahead -- despite the fact no work has been carried out to date.

Rossendale Borough Council agreed to invite tenders from five consultants to renew a section of Newchurch Road and the streets which run off the main link road in June, but no progress has been made.

But Coun Stephen Birtwell, chairman of the newly renamed community services committee, said: "The work is still planned to go-ahead. We are just waiting for approval from the Government for the area to be declared a renewal area."

The work would see the outside of businesses in the streets sandblasted with railings replaced and energy saving improvements introduced.

Once the go-ahead is given the work should take three years to complete.