THE GRIFFIN area of Blackburn is set for a multi-million pound revamp under the Housing Market Renewal scheme.

Tomorrow council bosses are expected to allocate funding of £8million to improve housing in the area, which councillors say is among the worst in the borough.

Residents are still to be consulted on the precise details of the scheme, but the preferred option put forward by the council is a “combination of clearance and repair”.

Earlier this year Elevate, which is in charge of the project, secured funding of £150million for the next three years to spend across East Lancashire in a bid to improve the flagging housing market.

It is believed about £8million will be spent on Griffin in the coming years.

Although about 300 houses in Griffin were singled out as a priority when Elevate began its work in 2003, the only progress so far has seen the demolition of 31 “unfit and obsolete” houses on Stansfield Street.

Ward councillor Damien Talbot said residents would welcome the news but admitted there could be controversy where houses are demolished.

He said: “We have regularly encouraged the council that Griffin was still a priority but there has not been the funding so far.

“Some of the housing is among the worst in the borough and people have felt they have missed out in the past.”

A survey of residents found 77 per cent of people would prefer to see improvements to housing rather than clearance, but 58 per cent said they wanted to see the worst houses demolished and replacements built.

Sixty three per cent were dissatisfied with the area in general and 68 per cent said it had got worse in recent years.

Coun Salim Lorgat, executive member for housing, said: This is very good news for the area.

"We have taken Griffin to be a major priority and with the credit crunch, things could get even worse.”