DEVELOPERS will be told what colour to paint their buildings, signs, benches and lampposts as part of the regeneration of Burnley.

Council bosses want to introduce a colour palette' so that new developments in Burnley Wood fit in with the area's history and natural surroundings.

The idea is part of the Burnley Arts Strategy which has seen £250,000 spent on different projects over the last year.

Developers will be given a colour palette containing shades of paint which have been developed with residents in the area.

It will be launched at an event next month.

Council bosses claim the scheme will give them the legal clout to demand appropriate-coloured buildings and street furniture like lampposts and benches in the borough.

In a report to the council's housing and health scrutiny committee the authority's arts development officer Helen Knowles said: "Looking at historic links, the current materials used in the area and the natural surroundings, a colour palette will be drawn up for the area.

"As a result Burnley Wood will have its own colours that will be used in new developments, signage and street furniture, a colour brand devised with residents in the area."

Liberal Democrats leader Gordon Birtwistle said the scheme was a good idea.

He added: "A lot of the work around the colour scheme has been done with children in the area and it has really gone down well with residents.

"The whole idea is to brighten the place up and not have grey and dull buildings."

In Lanzarote, the Spanish government believes its policy of insisting most buildings are white, with a choice of two or three colours for woodwork, has helped make their resorts more popular with tourists.

In New England, America, many towns have policies insisting that every house in a street must be painted the same colour.

And in the Canary Islands homeowners are told to paint buildings white and use either green or blue for woodwork.