Work has started on a multi-million pound cinema and leisure complex.

A ceremony was on Friday (January 28) to officially mark the start of construction on Pioneer Place cinema and leisure complex that will transform part of Burnley town centre.

Representatives from the partner organisations involved in the project met on site in which Burnley Council leader Cllr Afrasiab Anwar donned a high-vis jacket and hard hat to take the controls of a digger to officially start the work.

Cllr Anwar said: “We’ve waited for this day for many years and now all the hard work and concerted efforts of everyone involved have paid off. I’d like to thank all our partners in this massive project for their support in making it a reality.

“This development will enhance Burnley town centre and inject new energy into the evening economy, as well as bringing in visitors during the day. It will bring knock-on benefits to other town centre businesses.”

The £23 million scheme, which will include a seven-screen cinema and five retail and leisure units, plus a 226-space car park, is set to be completed in late summer 2023 and opened in the autumn of that year.

Hoardings are going up around the former Pioneer supermarket site and the public car park has been closed temporarily to allow work on creating a new car park. That is expected to take up to 14 weeks after which the car park will return to public use and work will begin on constructing the cinema and associated units.

The work will be carried out by the council’s development partner Maple Grove Developments, part of the Eric Wright Group.

Pioneer Place has secured funding from the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership's Getting Building Fund, Burnley borough and Lancashire county councils, and fashion company and the borough’s largest employer boohoo.

Burnley MP Antony Higginbotham said: "It's great to finally see this project get off the ground with everyone coming together to make it a reality - Government, Burnley Council, Lancashire County Council and the private sector. It has been a team effort and I'm looking forward to seeing work progress at pace.

“The Pioneer Place complex will allow us to harness more investment in the town centre from retailers and leisure operators, providing both jobs and a modern and attractive town centre offering for all.”