THREE blocks of flats are to go out with a bang after council planning bosses gave the go-ahead to blow them up.

The Queen's Park flats, which consist of Alexandra House, Victoria House and Elizabeth House, will be turned to dust making way for a new housing development scheme as part of Blackburn with Darwen Council's regeneration plan.

Approval has been given to a demolition order and it is hoped they will be blown up sometime in August.

Many of the flats stand empty but the council has said any tenants currently in the council-owned properties will be rehomed.

The tower blocks will make way for houses in an effort to make the area look nicer and combat crime on the estate.

Inspector John O'Reilly, who is the area inspector for Queen's Park, said: "The area is not ridden by crime but there can be problems relating to high-rise flats. It is very easy to get lost in them and it is very difficult to track criminals through them, especially in the ginnels leading up to the flats.

"Lower level housing will also help us track people from in the air as the heat source will be easier to find." The site will be marketed to private developers similar to the Mill Hill scheme, which will see flats there razed to the ground on February 11.

It is hoped the plan will have similar effects to that seen at Hulme in Manchester where blocks of flats were replaced by houses, resulting in a sharp drop in crime.

Gavin Prescott, from Blackburn with Darwen Council's planning department said: "The order is one which does not need to go before the planning committee nor does it require public consultation.

"The order is given after inspections by demolition officers who look at a number of things including the proximity of other houses. The inspectors found the nearest properties, just off Shadsworth Road, will not be affected."