A TOTAL of £3.6million has been spent by the council to clear buildings for a 400-metre Blackburn link road – and there are no guarantees it will ever be built.

More than £1million is believed to have been outlayed on the site of builder’s merchant Byrom Supplies.

Critics said the dual carriageway, which has been dogged by delays, was not worth the 'huge' bill racked up so far.

But bosses said the road was vital to solving traffic problems and kick-starting the area's regeneration.

If completed, the road would be the final part of the 'orbital route' around Blackburn, which has already taken more than 40 years to complete.

Construction costs of the road, which would connect the Wainwright Bridge and Montague Street, were originally set at £4million back in 2006.

The project still does not have planning permission after hitting a series of problems.

On top of the £3.6million, another £348,659 has been spent on architectural studies, planning and legal fees.

Even if nothing more was spent before it was built, the outlay of £8million would mean taxpayers paying £20,000 for every metre of the road.

Council bosses said spending cash up front was the only way to go about the project and insisted the road would have to be built, even if the first-choice route is not approved.

But critics said the spiralling costs were evidence the council had 'not done its homework' and questioned whether the road was worth the cost.

Lib Dem Simon Huggill, the council’s lead member resources, said: “I am not happy that we are putting the cart before the horse.

"We should have got everything lined up in advance.”

And Labour opposition group leader Kate Hollern said: “We have spent £4million and absolutely nothing has been achieved.

"It’s a nonsense."

Council bosses are facing a further headache from the Blackburn Spiritualist Church, St. Peter Street, which is set to be served with a compulsory purchase order to make way.

Church leaders last month failed in an attempt to get its premises listed with English Heritage to block the council's plans.

And Graham Hewitt, assistant general secretary of the Spiritualists National Union, warned: “It will cost them more money yet, because we will want a new church, and compensation.

"Blackburn council needs to put its money where its mouth is.”

One of the key recent stumbling blocks has been a former police building in King Street, which is Grade Two listed despite its run-down appearance.

A year ago the plans were withdrawn when English Heritage objected to its demolition, forcing the council back to the drawing board.

Bosses now insist they have explored all other options leaving them with no choice but to demolish the building.

A new planning application has now been submitted by the council.

This week English Heritage said it had not yet decided whether to oppose the plans again, with a decision expected by the end of January.

If it continued to protest, a costly public inquiry will almost certainly be triggered, throwing the project into more uncertainty.

The route also passes through St Peter’s graveyard, meaning hundreds of plots will have to be dug up and relocated.

Last week relatives of people buried there received official notification of the council’s plans.

Most of the cash has been spent by the taxpayer-funded North West Development Agency, with the council contributing more than £400,000 towards the building purchases.

Council leader Michael Lee defended the decision to spent money in advance.

He said: “It’s still the best route that fits in with everyone.

"The road has to go that way. No ifs and buts about it.

“It is still prime development land."