WORK on ten major leisure and tourism projects aimed at transforming East Lancashire could be under way as soon as 2008, regeneration bosses have said.

Housing market renewal company Elevate is spearheading a Pennine Lancashire scheme, to improve the image of the area as a whole to maximise the affect of its work to improve thousands of homes.

The individual projects are the brainchild of two consultants, TV celebrity and former Manchester music mogul Anthony Wilson and his partner, Oswaldtwistle-born Yvette Livesey.

They hope that in just two years work could begin on multi-million-pound attractions including a "Fashion Tower", an attraction based around East Lancashire's cotton heritage, an "Adrenaline Centre" to transform Rossendale's quarries into sporting centres and "Goal," a football theme park in Blackburn.

Elevate has told the pair to develop their best ideas, and have a final report ready for Elevate on how they can be developed by March. Then the hard work of raising the funds can begin.

Other ideas selected for the report include modern allotment sheds designed to encourage householders to grow their own vegetables and improve diets and providing every local entrepreneur who wanted it with a book-keeper, to encourage the growth of local business.

Elevate is also looking at how a direct rail link between Burnley and Manchester could be re-opened.

Some of the projects have money in place to kickstart initial preparation work, and some will need private and public investment before they can be finalised.

Bids for cash will be made to organisations like the Government-funded Northwest Regional Development Agency, which already supports groups like the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board; English Partnerships or lottery bids.

Before any work can start a series of roadshows will be held within the next few months, to let residents of every town in East Lancashire see the plans and discuss them as part of a consultation.

Then in 2008 and 2009 work could start on the ground on the projects, using cash yet to be secured from grants and private funding.

Max Steinberg, chief executive of Elevate, said: "Part of what Anthony and Yvette are doing is raising the profile of what this area has to offer in our most effective neighbouring economies.

"If we can do that then people will come here, spend their weekend, spend their leisure time and their money here. That's going to improve the economony, the housing market, it's going to improve the market.

"We will not succeed in improving the housing market of East Lancashire unless we improve the image of East Lancashire."

In September it was revealed that Elevate - one of the government's nine "Pathfinders" across the country - had helped 760 new homes, improved 2,500 homes and demolished 870.

But the organisation is hoping to make a difference to the area as a whole by improving the image of East Lancashire, not just housing. It is hoped the Pennine Lancashire project will do this.

Dennis Taylor, chief executive of the Lancashire Economic Partnership, said: "I think that clearly the transformational agenda is absolutely critical for Pennine Lancashire and in my view they couldn't get anybody better than Livesey and Wilson for innovative thinking and inconic project formulation.

"I think the whole of their package of ideas is exciting. I think that they have been well thought out and we believe that we could all try to get behind the package of projects to give Pennine Lancashire a real kick-start and make it a place where more and more people will want to live, work and invest.

"The whole project compliments the work Elevate is doing and I really really do wish to pledge the unstinting support of the partnership to help them realise the idea."

Mike Damms, chief executive of the East Lancashire Chamber of Trade, said: "We are very much in favour of raising self confidence and the way the area sees itself.

"We have got to develop self confident of it being a place where it's nice to live, work and for recreation.

"We think it's an essential part piece of regeneration for the area and the rediscovery of the area that it should feel confident with what it represents going forward.

"We think Pennine Lancashire reflects many of those things including the recreation and historial elements."

Coun Mohammed Khan, executive member for housing and neighbourhoods at Blackburn with Darwen Council said: "Regeneration is about so much more than bricks and mortar.

"The way places like Blackburn and Darwen are perceived is a vital part of making them desirable places to live and I believe this could further enhance the positive image of the area."

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