Preston Tithebarn plan does not worry us - East Lancashire town chiefs (From Preston and Leyland Citizen)

Preston Tithebarn plan does not worry us - East Lancashire town chiefs

11:00pm Monday 13th April 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(3)

A PROPOSED £700million shopping development in Preston is causing a lot of concern among council leaders in Blackburn, with fears growing that it will force shoppers away from the town. But the concerns are not shared across East Lancashire.

AS the steel shell of Blackburn’s town centre shopping project begins to rise from the rubble, it finds itself dwarfed by plans down the M65 in Preston.

At £700million, Preston’s proposed Tithebarn project is 10 times more costly than Blackburn’s efforts to rejuvinate its shopping centre and it’s got council chiefs worried.

So worried, in fact, that Blackburn with Darwen Council is urging people to object to the Tithebarn project and is launching a campaign to get it scaled down.

The fear amongst leaders is that it will draw up to 20 per cent of trade away from Blackburn and lead to major names scaling back their stores in the borough.

As the Lancashire Telegraph reported on Thursday, the concern is shared by Blackburn Chamber of Trade, which is vehemently opposed to the project, a stance that has drawn support from neighbouring chamber of trade bodies.

But the further east you go in Lancashire, the less concern there is from towns already competing with might of Manchester.

Burnley council leader Gordon Birtwistle said: “If Preston manages to raise the money and get it through I don’t think it will have any impact on Burnley.”

George Hayes, of Burnley Chamber of Trade, also shared this view.

He said: “I don’t think it will have any impact on this town.

"The people of Burnley are very loyal to their shops and won’t be swayed by Preston’s developments.”

And Tony Garner for Rawtenstall Chamber of Commerce, was also relaxed about Preston’s vision for its shopping future.

He said: “People round here will always look to Manchester if they want that sort of shopping and I don’t think they’d be travelling to Preston for it.

“We also have a lot of local traders which make the town what it is and that’s what people round here appreciate.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(3)