A GIANT supermarket has won its battle with a town hall over a plan to build a convenience store alongside a petrol station.

Safeway had been told by Blackburn with Darwen Council it could not build a mini-supermarket along with the new petrol station.

But a Government inspector has backed an appeal put together by the supermarket chain.

Now work is set to begin work on the store and petrol station in Preston New Road, Blackburn.

A car wash has also been included in the plans.

Developers have been looking to develop the vacant site for a number of years following the closure of the former West End filling station.

The land has been fenced off by the council in a bid to keep travellers and vandals off the site.

Safeway and BP are joining forces on the scheme, but planning officials were worried the shop and petrol station would badly affect local trade.

But, according to the inquiry inspector, trade in the New Bank Road area has been in decline for several years.

The new business would not have a major impact on businesses in the area, he claimed.

Three similar applications across the country have been turned down amid fears large retailers are attempting to get around strict planning policies.

The inspector has told the developers they will have to stick to a number of conditions aimed at keeping noise and disruption to a minimum around the new business.