THE surveyor behind some of Darwen's most famous developments is hanging up his hard hat after more than 30 years.

Gordon Holden, 59, of Lyndhurst Road, will leave Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council on Friday.

Gordon, who worked for Darwen Council in 1973 before it merged with Blackburn six months later, witnessed the early stages of the housing developments on Avondale Road and Sunnymere Drive in the early '70s as well as the new Services off the M65.

He said: "Darwen underwent massive changes when the councils amalgamated and a lot of work was done on improving Darwen's buildings and housing estates."

The building surveyor said the services off the M65 had provided one of the town's major plus points. "It puts Darwen in front of Blackburn and has the potential to attract a lot of people."

But he added: "Darwen has been neglected and I don't think the town has had a fair crack of the whip.

"I don't think it's intentional but it's very difficult to run Darwen from Blackburn and we need more people based here, and then it would be much better off." Gordon Entwistle, also a building surveyor, has worked side by side with Gordon for a number of years.

He said: "I will really miss working with him and it will be a lot more difficult without him because he knows so much about the town."

On his retirement, Gordon plans to continue his work within the community, raising money for a variety of charities.