BLACKBURN'S best-looking buildings are to be floodlit as part of a £220,000 scheme to make the town centre more attractive.

Restored buildings in King Street, Fleming Square and Church Street are all favourites to benefit from the work, which has been approved by councillors and business leaders.

And Blackburn Cathedral could also benefit from the project, funded by European and Government cash, with extra lighting to show off the building and provide brighter grounds to walk through at night.

The scheme has been welcomed by traders and church leaders after it was approved by members of the Blackburn with Darwen Regeneration Partnership Executive -- a group set up to administer various cash grants.

A total of £220,000 will be spent on the project, £110,000 from Single Regeneration Budget cash which comes from the Government and £110,000 from the European Regional Development Fund.

The work will be carried out over the next three years, with £115,000 due to be spent before next April.

Some of the cash will be used to improve paving, seating, lighting and planting in the King Street, Fleming Square, the Cathedral and Church Street areas.

At the same time, a new lighting strategy is being developed to target poorly-lit areas of the town centre with the aim of reducing crime and helping people to feel safer.

Coun Andy Kay, the council's executive member for regeneration said: "The project will lead to enhancements to streets, squares and green spaces to complement regeneration work, such as the restoration of Fleming Square.

"But we also want to develop a floodlighting initiative for key buildings in the town centre.

"Obviously candidates include the bank building at the top of Church Street and improved lighting around the Cathedral, where we can not only make the Cathedral look nicer but also improve security.

"It won't just be a case of shining bright lights against buildings. Various techniques will be used to show the buildings off to their best advantage."

Other towns in Lancashire already light up key buildings, such as county hall in Preston and Blackpool Tower, but Blackburn with Darwen Council hopes to be the first in the area to have a co-ordinated lighting up of key buildings.

"As more buildings are regenerated and improved, we hope to light up more," said Coun Kay.

"We will now begin consulting town centre businesses to see what they would like to see lit up. We want to make the town more attractive."

A spokesman for Lloyds TSB, which runs a branch from the top of Church Street, said the company was keen to co-operate with councils to help improve town centres.

Canon Andrew Hindley, from Blackburn Cathedral, said: "We work closely with the council on many things and welcome anything which can improve the security of our grounds which are sometimes abused."

Ronnie O'Keeffe, president of the Blackburn and District Chamber of Trade, said: "This is very welcome because it will improve the town centre and also make it safer, particularly around the Cathedral.

"I hope it is expanded to include buildings like the Town Hall as well."