EMPTY council houses in Burnley could be handed over to property developers in a major improvement-for-sale scheme.

Building giants Wimpey Homes and the Lovell Partnership have both expressed interest in taking over properties in the problem West End area which has more than 200 empty houses - nearly half the council's total void stock - and are expected to come up with specific plans in the next fortnight.

Any scheme would be expected to include a major revamp of the area.

But a tenants' leader today scotched rumours of a sell off of occupied council properties.

In a statement Eddie Crossley, vice-chairman of the West End Estates management board said: "There have been many rumours that tenants' homes will be sold from under their feet, but those rumours are a nonsense."

He said tenants would be involved in any scheme considered by the board and the council. "They will have plenty of opportunity to have an input into any plans for the empty properties in the area," he added.

Council housing chairman Rafique Malik added: "We have tried all the traditional ways of trying to resolve the problems of the growing number of empty houses and now, perhaps, we need to be a bit more radical.

"It will be a long process, but something needs to be done and the sooner we start the better."

Although the Barclay Hills estate, which also has a high number of empty council properties, is not included in the present proposals, the local authority says that it would welcome a similar initiative in that area if the tenants wished it.

In a letter to West End tenants, the council and board state the idea is to redevelop empty houses for owner occupation and that some properties should be converted to make them more acceptable to the elderly or others with special needs.

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