North West Leicestershire District Council's Coalville Regeneration Framework is designed to make the town 'as attractive as Ashby', councillors were told this week.

Tuesday's meeting of the District Council's Cabinet discussed the Regeneration presentation which set out the key projects being undertaken in Coalville.

Council leader Cllr Richard Blunt said the town-wide initiative is 'making the impossible not quite so impossible' with some developments already under way or completed.

But he also added that it is aimed at competing with Ashby de la Zouch, just five miles away.

Cllr Blunt said: "My own personal aim was to make Coalville as attractive to live and shop in as Ashby.

"It's five minutes by car, this document shows us how far we've got, but we have to keep the pressure on."

The council points to developments such as the Whitwick & Coalville Leisure Centre, which opened just under a year ago, and has a strong membership, and the proposed town centre work centred around Belvoir Road and Marlborough Square.

Cllr Blunt said one of the first tasks would be to pursue interest in marketing the potential sites for a possible new cinema for the town.

Cllr Keith Merrie MBE added: "It's really great to see the improvements now starting to happen in Coalville.

"This is a vision, when it comes to fruition, it's going to be absolutely great."

Cllr Robert Ashman said: "A lot of this has been made possible by private money, not Government handouts.

"There's confidence in Coalville at the moment, and it shows that we've turned a corner.

"The improvements are now beginning to make an impact.

"People are now making positive comments about Coalville."