A BLUEPRINT is being drawn up to ensure Darwen becomes a thriving market town once again.

All aspects of life in the town centre will come under scrutiny, including the possibility of increasing the number of trains and making the A666 safer for shoppers. But what do the planners think can be achieved and what do the townspeople need? David Higgerson and Helen Priest report...

VALERIE Atherton owns a stall at Darwen's five-day market, but trade has taken a disastrous turn for the worse in the past 15 years.

Council chiefs will be looking to help stall-holders like Valerie attract more people to the focal point of the town.

Valerie, 57, said: "I've owned a shop here for seven years, but I've worked here on and off for around 15 and trade has taken a disastrous turn. Everything needs changing from the floor to the roof.

"The walls haven't been washed in 15 years and it's just not attractive. You wouldn't walk in here and want to shop. The way to make it better is to improve how it looks."

Workshops will be held across the town, spearheaded by the council, to get public opinion before a vision of the future -- similar to the one drawn up for Blackburn -- is prepared and work starts on securing millions of pounds to turn the dream into a reality.

Studies looking at environmental improvements, retail opportunities, transport improvements and cultural enhancements among other things will all be looked at before ideas are presented to the public for their opinions.

The first report, funded using Single Regeneration Budget money, revealed that although shoppers in the main were satisfied with what was on offer in Darwen, they wanted a greater variety of shops, especially in the food and bulky goods -- such as electrical shops -- sector.

They also wanted a better market, nicer environment to shop in and guarantees that old buildings will be preserved.

Central to the plan for the future will be the role of Darwen Market, built in 1882 with 70 stalls, which councillors believe has the potential to become a big draw for visitors with the right investment.

Other areas being studied include how to improve the A666, the main road from Blackburn to Bolton which cuts right through the heart of Darwen.

Blackburn with Darwen councillor Andy Kay said: "Closing it off as we did with Church Street in Blackburn isn't an option because there is no other route for traffic to use. We will be looking at how we can make it safer for people to get across from one side of the town to another."

At the moment, all ideas put forward are up for discussion. The council is loath to introduce subways, seen as crime havens, although bridges might be one option.

He said he hoped the the new strategy, which should be completed by the end of spring, would enable the council to build on recent successes, such as bringing Sainsburys to the town in 1997.

The council also lured Capita to Darwen. Inside India Mill, the firm which runs many council services, created 500 jobs when it located two new call centres there.

Plans for an £11million health centre, environmental improvements and restoration of places like Belgrave Chapel are also given as examples of work done by the council to keep Darwen on a roll.

"This strategy will provide a set of aims for us and we will then work towards achieving those aims," said Coun Kay.

"They will be a set of realistic targets which will given Darwen its own identity and make it an attraction to other people."

Part of the plan includes looking at improving public transport. Both the bus and railway stations will be studied to make them safe and attractive so they are used more.

But the council will also look at the possibility of securing funding from the Strategic Rail Authority so that the parts of the Blackburn-Manchester railway line can be made double track so more trains can service Darwen.

Coun Paul Browne, leader of the Lib Dems and a Darwen councillor, said: "It's about time they started looking at Darwen.

"For too long, the town centre has been neglected. I just hope it isn't too little, too late for the market which has been neglected for years.

"It has been a battle to get anything done in Darwen. I complained to the chief executive that the paint was flaking in the Town Hall in Darwen, a public building we should be proud of, and was anything done? No."

John Brown, chair of the Darwen Town Centre Association, said: "Anything that can strengthen our hand to improve the town centre is a good thing.

"The town's strength is that it is a local market town so we need to keep local people shopping locally."

In addition to improving shopping, efforts will be made to improve housing. Blackburn with Darwen Council, along with three other East Lancashire boroughs, is in line for £600million of Government money to breathe new life into the housing sector.

Coun Sue Reid, a Darwen councillor and social services executive member, said: "This is a real chance for people in Darwen to have their say on what we do in the future."