BLACKBURN with Darwen Borough Council will fight on in its battle to prevent the expansion of Preston city centre.

The Lancashire Telegraph can reveal town hall bosses have decided to appeal against the decision by ministers to award planning permission to the £700million Tithebarn scheme.

Neighbouring Preston City Council has reacted furiously at the news that yet another hearing will be needed to rule on the controversial proposals.

It follows last year’s costly public inquiry into TIthebarn, a scheme Blackburn with Darwen said would overshadow its own regeneration plans and take shoppers out of neighbouring towns.

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said there would be a minimal extra cost to the authority - it has already shelled out £365,000 fighting the plans - because legal fees it has already paid will cover the costs of the appeal.

And bosses are confident they can overturn the verdict, believing the decision-making process was ‘flawed’.

A planning inspector recommended the scheme be rejected, but this was overturned by the Secretary of State.

A short court hearing is likely to take place later this year to settle the matter.

Regeneration chief Dave Harling said: “The impact of the minister's unjustified decision will have a negative effect on Blackburn and other local towns, which the minister did not appear to think was important."

Preston City Council leader Ken Hudson said he was ‘in utter disbelief’.

He added: “How Blackburn can justify spending public money on another unnecessary legal challenge to Tithebarn at a time when they are making job cuts, is quite simply beyond us and no doubt most reasonable people.”