A RUNDOWN terrace of properties in Nelson could be set to shine after a company offered to refurbish them for free.

Housing group Adactus wants to refurbish seven houses in Whitefield to show people what can be done with run-down 19th century homes.

The announcement follows news that the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) wants to launch an architectural design competition in the area.

Thousands of properties across East Lancashire are set to be demolished under the Government's scheme to revitalise the region's ailing housing market.

But Adactus, based in Manchester, wants to prove there is still life in older houses and has chosen Whitefield, where residents fought to stop 160 homes being knocked down, to demonstrate they can be turned into modern homes.

The company has approached Pendle Council with plans to turn a terrace of seven houses into five, converting two properties into larger family homes.

All would be completely refurbished into a 'loft style' terrace with a new kitchen, bathroom and a mezzanine level bedroom bringing light and space into the houses.

Adactus chief executive Paul Lees said: "These are just proposals at this stage but we have had good feedback from the council so far.

"Our intention is to work in partnership with Pendle Borough Council to solve the problems many councils face with poor quality or redundant properties.

"We hope our scheme will be given the go ahead and we can use this an exemplar project."

There has been a move to retain old terraces and revamp them, rather than bringing in the developers, recently.

Last month ITV funded a project to refurbish one house in an empty terrace in Liverpool.

Designers spent £24,000 on the house, gutting the interior, installing central heating, a modern bathroom, kitchen and redecorating.

When they had finished the property's value rose from £15,000 to £60,000 and could fetch up to £80,000 if the whole terrace was revamped.

Adactus has already successfully converted terrace houses in the Frenchwood area of Preston - creating a cool, contemporary home which 'opens up the box' of the dark, cramped traditional terrace.

It is not known how much the Whitefield properties would be worth at the end of the project.