CONSERVATIVE leader David Cameron has hinted he would consider scrapping the multi-million pound housing regeneration scheme in East Lancashire.

Asked whether a Tory government would abandon housing market renewal schemes, he said it would be looked at on a "case by case basis".

East Lancashire has been chosen as one of nine housing market "Pathfinder" schemes across the country.

Elevate, which runs the regeneration projects in Blackburn, Hyndburn, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale, is given millions of pounds to knock down, rebuild and refurbish homes.

It allocated £46million of housing funding to its five partner local authorities between April 2006 and March 2007.

Speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph, Mr Cameron criticized the extent of demolition taking place in a similar scheme in Liverpool.

He added: "I know in Burnley for instance there has been a sense of over housing supply and poor housing quality.

"We would have to look at it on a case by case basis."

Mr Cameron, who was answering questions before the North West Conservative Party Conference at Bolton's Reebok stadium, said his party was reaching out to "traditional Conservative values" held by Britain's Asian communities.

And he said his plans for "national citizen service" for 16-year-olds would help tackle cohesion issues facing some East Lancashire towns.

He added: "We need some specific things to bring communities together.

"We need to think of ourselves as one nation rather than pretending we have separate communities."

Later Mr Cameron opened the two-day conference with a speech to delegates from across the North West.

He said his party had made "real progress" in gaining seats on councils in the region, although he made no mention of Blackburn with Darwen, where the Conservatives recently ousted Labour after joining forces with the Liberal Democrat and For Darwen parties.

But he praised the work of Tory-controlled Rossendale Borough Council's environmental action teams, which clean streets and tackle graffiti.