A PLAN to breathe new life into Hartlepool could see about £30m invested in run-down town centre areas.

Hartlepool New Deal for Communities (NDC) has been carrying out consultation with residents which began in February and involved street workshops and ballots.

Known as the Community Housing Plan, it is hoped it will help improve housing and the environment over the next eight years.

Hartlepool NDC was awarded £54m in 2001 by the Government to spend over the ten-year lifespan of the programme, which is looking at developing initiatives across a range of themes including housing, crime and education.

Malcolm Walker, director of NDC, said: "We have reached a critical time in the development of the Community Housing Plan.

"After an exhaustive consultative process, we want to share with residents what they have told us, and how practically that measures up to achieving our goal of tackling the spiral of decline in town centre housing and the quality of the environment."

Informal drop-in sessions have been arranged where people can view the proposals.

There will also be a computerised model to show them how some areas might look in the future. Bryon Hanna, chairman of NDC, said: "The development of this plan is a major achievement and is a result of months of hard work.

"However, now the real work begins because we want to be sure the majority of residents can support the plan, because at the end of the day it will be the people who will turn this area around."

It is expected the Community Housing Plan will be finalised next March, once residents and funding bodies have been consulted on outline proposals.

The first drop-in session takes place at Grange Road Methodist Hall, Hartlepool, tomorrow, from 1.30pm to 9pm.

There will also be a session at the Hall on Thursday, again from 1.30pm to 9pm.