BURNLEY is set to have a new train station, upmarket shopping streets and more canalside developments as part of ambitious new plans to rejuvenate the town centre.

Developer Building Design Partnership (BDP) has announced proposals on how the town could become the envy of the region by undergoing a 15-year, multi-million pound revamp.

Residents and civic leaders today hailed the plans as the specialists behind the scheme said its proposals were realistic.

They include: l a new train station replacing Burnley Central.

l turning Yorkshire Street and Croft Street into a quality shopping destination like Glasgow's Buchanan Street.

l replacing the town's market with a continental style market.

l transforming the Straight Mile stretch of the canal into a waterside destination.

l new public squares.

l modern offices.

The North West Develpment Agency, with extra support from Burnley Council, has given BDP the cash to come up with the proposals.

The NWDA hopes a masterplan will complement proposals by Elevate and English Heritage to regenerate local housing stock and rundown industrial areas like the Weavers Triangle.

But Tim Hewitt, senior planning consultant for BDP, said it was not known how much money would be ploughed into developments although he added about 90 per cent of it would be from private developers.

He said: "The town centre is where all these things start. It is the heart of the town.

"And to improve the town you need a successful town centre.

"Because we have got a lot of experts on board they are advising us what is realistic.

"It is realistic but it is a long-term plan, it is not going to happen in two years.

"Something will happen in three to four years but it is a 15-year plan."

Residents are being urged to have their say on the proposals which will form a masterplan, also funded by regeneration body the North West Development Agency, later this year.

Award-winning BDP, who worked on the Cathedral Gardens project in Manchester, beat five other specialist developers to be given the task of breathing new life into the town.

Mr Hewitt said key aspects he wanted to see included were the St James' Street scheme, the canalside development and new offices.

He said: "We have been told Burnley lacks a focused public area and that is something we would like to incorporate. St James' Street could become a great street of public realm and public spaces.

"Even though there is quite a lot of office space, people do not want it because it is not the right type.

"There are not enough open-plan offices with air conditioning.

"We need to create more employment and have more buildings of high quality, raise the wage levels.

"And the straight mile is one of the reasons Burnley has such a great history.

"We want to take the best of Burnley's history and take the town into the future based on that.

"We are hoping to change people's perception of Burnley not only to the people who live here but those from outside the area."

Council leader, Coun Gordon Birtwistle said the new Oval shopping centre would act as the catalyst for future development.

He added: "The investment is welcome and it is good news again for Burnley.

"It is a massive investment in the town centre which we are very pleased to receive.

"It is starting next year with the Oval development and it will continue from there. There will be something every year from that."

Simon Berwick, 46, a lecturer at Burnley College who lives in the Towneley area, said he hoped small businesses would get space.