Blackpool could be left without a major conference centre in just four years, the Citizen can reveal.

The owners of the Winter Gardens have been told they will not be forced to delay a redevelopment of the historic listed building until a new conference centre is built in the resort.

An agreement under which Blackpool Council pays Leisure Parcs to keep the Winter Gardens available for conferences runs out in 2009 but the council wanted to include a condition preventing redevelopment of the building until new conference facilities were being developed in its local plan for the next decade.

After a six-month public inquiry into the local plan, inspector, Chris Turner, said it would be 'unreasonable' for Leisure Parcs to face 'further uncertainty' beyond 2009.

Under the plan the Winter Gardens could become a casino, hotel, shopping complex or a combination of the three. A restriction on food retailing, intended to prevent a supermarket on the site, has also been removed although any development must not harm the character of the listed building.

Blackpool Council's bid to create a 'casino and conference quarter' - featuring two massive 'regional' casinos - will be allowed if licenses are granted, although proposed casino developments at Rigby Road, the Pleasure Beach and the current Hilton hotel site have been ruled out.

Council tourism and regeneration strategic director, Jackie Potter, said: "The Council is pushing full steam ahead for the regeneration of the town centre. The Winter Gardens is a key part of the redevelopment and we would not want to see any artificial obstacles placed in their way.

"The timescale for the new conference centre is subject to detailed consideration by (urban regeneration company) ReBlackpool in their business plan."

Leisure Parcs managing director, Chris Sullivan, and marketing director, Jon Sheehy, were unavailable for comment on the company's future plans.

Other surprise results from the inquiry include a decision to designate Flagstaff Gardens on the promenade at South Shore as public open space.

The council's original local plan had allocated the area as part of a 'key tourism investment site' covering the Pleasure Beach, Sandcastle and land north of Balmoral Road.

But Mr Turner said that while the council wanted to see more rides and improved public open space, with a possible new hotel, the Pleasure Beach's interest was in building a casino hotel in the area.

Because of the contradiction between the authority and the potential developer, and the decision to block a casino, the 'key tourism site' has been deleted.

Mr Turner said in his report: "I accept that the area has seen much of the resort's investment in recent years but it does not seem to me that there is any prospect of future investment either being stimulated by this policy or being dependent on it. A policy such as this should be justified on future expectations rather than awarded as a prize for past performance."

Mr Turner supports the idea of a major redevelopment of the area around Blackpool North station, but not plans for new multi-storey car parks on land between King Street and Topping Street.

And he has also blocked the use of any greenfield sites for new housing development while supporting the council's drive to restrict new one-bedroom flats in and around the town centre, although not to the degree envisaged by the council.

Blackpool Council will now prepare its response to the report. It will only be allowed to contradict the inspector if it gives a 'strong justification.'

Cllr Eddie Collett, regeneration portfolio holder, said: "I am very pleased that the Inspector has endorsed much of the new local plan and, in particular is supportive of the Council's approach to regeneration of the resort.

"This will be a huge benefit to Blackpool's new urban regeneration company ReBlackpool in driving forward key Masterplan development projects. The new local plan will also play a major role in shaping future development across the whole town helping to ensure that Blackpool gets the right type and quality of development in the right locations.

"Over the coming weeks the council will be looking in detail at the Inspectors recommendations and considering how the Plan needs to be amended. There will be a further opportunity for public comment on any proposed changes before the plan is adopted."

The local plan acts as a framework for planning issues. Developments which contradict the local plan will normally face a public inquiry. The much-delayed plan covers the period 2001 to 2016 but it will be early next year before it is finalised.