TOUGH powers to crack down on public drinking, taking drugs including legal highs in the open and anti-social behaviour, are set to be introduced in Blackburn town centre.

They would give council and police officers powers to seize a range of ‘intoxicating substances’ on the spot and disperse rowdy groups of people.

Those who fail to obey instructions from police or council enforcement officers face Fixed Penalty Notices of up to £100 or fines of up to £1,000 at the magistrates court.

It comes as major improvements to the town centre, including the £34million Cathedral Quarter, £4.7million bus station and £8.5million clergy court complete with Northcote cafe/restaurant, approach completion.

The new Public Space Protection Order, which could be in place by the end of June, has been widely welcomed by town centre traders’ groups, borough taxi drivers boss Mohammed Younis and Dean of Blackburn Christopher Armstrong.

It is thought to be the third time such comprehensive measures have been introduced in England, following the examples of Lincoln and Taunton last year.

Blackburn with Darwen Council regeneration boss Cllr Phil Riley said: “This is a comprehensive order which will be easier to understand and enforce than other legislation.

“It is aimed at making the new town centre, in which millions of pounds have been invested, a pleasant place for shoppers and visitors in the day and night time to enjoy.

“It should nip any potential problems with anti-social behaviour in the bud.

“Legal highs have been included as they have been seen as a possible source of rowdy behaviour and to avoid chemical cleverness getting round existing laws.”

Cllr Riley said the new order, available under October 2014 government legislation, was ‘complementary’ to the existing 2008 ban on drinking in public, which covers a slightly larger area, and could be brought into force within weeks of a consultation ending on Friday, April 29.

The proposed area stretches from Barbara Castle Way down the Leeds-Liverpool Canal behind the railway station north of the Towns Moor Retail Park and back up Freckleton Street, Byron Street and Montague Street.

The new order’s provisions include that people will not ingest, inject, smoke or otherwise use ‘intoxicating substances’ within the defined area.

The substances are defined as those with the capacity to stimulate or depress the central nervous system.

They include alcohol, illegal drugs including cannabis, and psychoactive substances commonly referred to as ‘legal highs’.

They do not include tobacco or prescription medication.

The proposed order also says that: * people within the area will not have in their possessions open containers of intoxicating substances; and * they will not have any item to assist in the taking of such substances defined as including devices for smoking substances other than e-cigarettes.

This includes needles unless packaged and sealed by the manufacturer and stored in a hard case.

The order warns that people within this area who breach these prohibitions will surrender all intoxicating substances in their possession to an authorised person.

It also bans people from acting or inciting others to act in an anti-social manner likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress in public, and says no-one can deposit any litter in any part of the designated area unless in a suitable bin.

Blackburn Business Improvement District manager Harriet Roberts said: “Our board fully supports creating an order in the town centre to make Blackburn a safer and more secure place for people to visit and work.

“Initiatives that clampdown on the use of intoxicating substances and remove anti-social behaviour from the area should be welcomed by all.”

Dean Armstrong said: “I am in favour of this. We do not want the new town centre to become full of rabble-rousers.”

Mr Younis said: “Taxi drivers welcome this.”

President of Blackburn and District Chamber of Commerce Tony Duckworth said: “I support this measure.

“We want the new town centre to be somewhere which shoppers and visitors can enjoy in safety.”

Jason Walker, chairman of the Blackburn Nightlife Campaign Group, said: “We welcome this.

“We want Blackburn at night to be somewhere where people can feel safe to come for a glass of wine or a pint of craft ale without fear of rowdy groups.”

Borough localities and prevention director Sayyed Osman said: “The intention is to make sure people can enjoy their town centre.

“ It is very much a preventative measure to deal with low-level anti-social behaviour and deal quickly with any issues that might occur.

“This involves intoxicating substances, any kind of violence and littering in the town centre retail area.

The council is also consulting on a similar order in Ewood giving tough powers for police and council officers to tackle nuisance and aggressive behaviour including going to the toilet in public, throwing missiles and setting fires.