IT will be like Benidorm in Burnley as the town's new council house landlords turn up the heat, making massive improvements.

Burnley and Padiham Housing, which takes control of the entire 5,300-home stock in February, has announced its first year improvement programme - a £6million plan which will see benefits in every area.

And in the first five years, the housing company guarantees that every property will have full central heating and insulation. That means a major boost for many homes which have seen no improvements for more than 30 years. In fact the company has announced a 30-year 'war' on poor standards in which it will spend £195million on the municipal housing stock.

The major spending will also boost employment and the local economy, with more direct services jobs promised and local contractors benefiting from the company's "Think Local" policy.

The Year One programme is as follows:

Walls, fences, drives and paths: Lanehead estate. Rosehill estate, Kibble Bank estate, 100 properties, work starting in June.

Re-roofing programme: Rosehill estate, 15 properties, start date, June.

Kitchen refurbishment: Gregory flats, Brunshaw, Harle Syke, Holme Lodge, Bridge Street and Adamson Street estate, 100 properties, work starts February.

Bathroom improvements: Turf Moor estate, Palace House, 60 properties, start date, June.

Re-wiring: Turf Moor estate, 38 properties, work starts June.

Double glazing, new doors programme: Turf Moor, Belvedere, Allen Court, Marles Court, Kibble Bank, Oxford Road, Water Street, Worsthorne, Woodbine estate, Abingdon Road, Water Street, Bridge Street, Whitegate, Plane Tree estate, Stoops, 950 homes, work starts February.

Loft insulation: West End, 540 properties, start to be finalised.

Wall insulation: Turf Moor estate, Palace House, 60 properties, start June.

Central heating: Brunshaw estate, Turf Moor, Burnley Road, Cliviger, Palace House, Slade Lane, Carter Avenue, Fennyfold, 363 properties, start February.

Replacement central heating : 40 properties.

External Painting: Brunshaw, Burnley Lane, Central, Padiham, West End, 1,038 homes, from Summer 2000.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.