AN historic area of Nelson could get a £600,000 cash boost, helping to create job and business oppor-tunities.

As part of the bid to breathe new life in to Whitefield, Pendle Council is considering an application to conservation body English Heritage.

Funding would improve shops and renovate industrial units such as Lomeshaye Mill weaving sheds.

And today residents who have campaigned for the regeneration of Whitefield while wanting to retain the area's history said the cash would be a major boost in improving the area's economy.

Secretary of Whitefield Conservation Action Group Sylvia Wilson said "I think it would be a really good way to improve buildings like the weaving sheds that are desperately in need of attention.

"We can't just look at the housing, we need to improve other things like businesses and this will provide jobs.

"It will also remind people something is being done to improve the area."

Council officers said that from 2007 English Partnership could give the authority £100,000 a year for three years but this would have to be matched by the council. The authority's executive is recommended to instruct officers to investigate whether there is enough money in the council's coffers to be able to submit a funding application.

If successful, the money would be for improvements not included in the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) which would see £2 million of lottery cash spent on re-instating Features such as window frames and chimney pots.

Schemes earmarked for the new funding would include improving shop fronts in Every Street and repairing shops in Manchester Road as well as Lomeshaye Mill and the Presbytery building.

Both schemes form part of the overall Whitefield masterplan, for which proposals include repairing swathes of terraced housing, building new apartments and a marina.

Rosemary Lyons, the council's conservation officer says in a report to the executive: "The scheme could pick up those projects which the THI will be unable to fund, concentrating in particular on commercial and employment properties with job-generating potential."