That decision has now been given the required approval from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

The council has been operating selective licensing in parts of the borough since October 2008 as part of a wider housing regeneration strategy.

The aim is to support landlords and tenants and improve housing management in the private rented sector to tackle issues such as falling house prices, anti-social behaviour, and general deprivation.

Both areas experienced improvements in the five years that selective licensing has been operating.

These include a fall in the number of housing disrepair complaints received by the council, improvements to property and area security measures, and a decrease in empty houses.

There was also a fall in anti-social behaviour and environmental crime, and a rise in average house prices.

Clare Jackson, Burnley council’s private sector housing manager, said: “Through a combination of initiatives, including selective licensing, we have started to see improvements in these areas.

“The continuation of selective licensing from July 2022 allows us to build upon these improvements and continue to support residents and good landlords in the areas.”