A COMMUNITY centre is to undergo a £1million transformation to create a modern facility for local people.

Roman Road Community Centre, Newfield Drive, Blackburn, has been awarded the money after being identified as one of the best in the borough.

A report on community centres by Blackburn with Darwen Council named it as one of the borough's top four centres and recommended others should be closed.

But it recommended that Roman Road be set aside for funding bids, with a view to handing over the running of the buildings to community groups.

The £1million Community Assets grant was given by the Office of the Third Sector - a government body which supports voluntary and community groups, social enterprises and charities.

Once the work has been completed the Community and Business Partners Ltd, a not-for-profit company, will manage and run the centre but the council will have ownership of the building.

The £1million will enable big improvements to the building including an extension on two floors to the former Access Point building to create a Green Enterprise Centre.

It will be home to SAMS, Scrap Art Material Store, which provides waste material for learning and play, Groundwork's 2nd Byte project, which recycles IT equipment for use within deprived communities, and a range of other green social enterprises.

Local people will also benefit from training, volunteering and job opportunities as well as access to eco products and services.

A further £150,000 of government Local Enterprise Growth Initiative money has been secured for landscape improvements to nearby derelict land.

Mark Hilton, head of community assets management at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "It is a wonderful opportunity to regenerate the area and involve the community in improving local services."

Andy Kay, Labour councillor for the Higher Croft ward, said: "The funding's excellent news for the community.

"It is needed for the area and will help the community become more involved with each other."

Council leader Colin Rigby said: "I am really pleased about it, it was a grant we had to apply for and chase up.

"This will help make it an even better centre and it is much needed in the area, I'm delighted."