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Tithebarn is ‘unrealistic’, says Blackburn with Darwen report

11:45am Thursday 9th July 2009 in


THE multi-million pound redevelopment of Preston is “unrealistic”, according to a scathing report prepared for Blackburn with Darwen Council bosses.

The report, by retail consultant FSP, was presented to the hearing into the £700million Tithebarn scheme, which got underway yesterday.

Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool councils are opposing the plans, which would create 81,000 square metres of retail floor space, including flagship John Lewis and Marks and Spencer stores, a new bus station, residential units and a car park.

Critics, who also include Pendle Borough Council, fear it will drag shoppers away from their town centres and hamper East Lancashire’s regeneration.

According to FSP, many of the potential retailers proposed are struggling in the recession and would be unlikely to relocate.

But rival consultants Cushman and Wakefield, for the Tithebarn Partnership, hit back at the “extremely negative” report, and Preston council officers have not changed their recommendation for the scheme to go ahead.

Yesterday, Preston City Council’s planning committee was given detailed presentations on the plans by officers.

The committee will vote on the scheme after it is debated in detail next week at Preston Town Hall.

Even if it is awarded planning permission, a government inquiry could still be forced because of the local authorities’ objections.

There has been a bitter war of words between councils on the issue, and an inquiry would severely delay the project.

Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Michael Lee said he did not expect much opposition from Preston councillors at this stage.

He added: “The longer it is delayed the lesser impact it could have.”

Comments(11)

Wikidi says...
12:43pm Thu 9 Jul 09

So as a person living in Accrington I have the right to oppose blackburns development as precisely it has taken all the shoppers out of our town, so I guess this Preston's development is some sought of pay back time to the whinging blackburnt

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Lifeinthemix says...
1:02pm Thu 9 Jul 09

Hi All.

You need to fight this or ghost town will become a very evident symtom of it.

Say 'NO' to the Crown takeover of Lancashire.

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milty says...
3:30pm Thu 9 Jul 09

Blackburn n Darwen stop crying

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Tosh67 says...
6:31pm Thu 9 Jul 09

Why are these lunatics spending tax payers money on arguing about progress?Msg to Coun. Lee - live with it move on,or are you afraid your own shortcoming will be there for all to see.Go Preston with a much needed flagship,you have my support, BwDBC lunatics do not have an arguement.

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Christian says...
7:30pm Thu 9 Jul 09

Tithebarn must NOT be allowed to go ahead. My town is also at serious risk of being eclipsed by Preston as a retail centre because of this monstrously oversied project. Preston is just trying to laughably clone Manchester and Liverpool and it is unrealistic. Preston is already a clone town they should be concentrating on making it a unique place not just filling it with fancy shops noone in Preston can afford to shop at just so they can be the '3rd city'. My hometown and many other Lancashire towns already suffer a huge loss of shoppers to Preston already and Tithebarn will just worsen the problem. The North West doesn't need a 3rd city; the NWDA even said itself Preston should be equal with Blackburn, Blackpool and Burnley in economic terms not Manchester and Liverpool. I really hope it does go to public enqiry and I hope it gets mothballed for the sake of Lancashire. Don't be fooled by the 'its good for Lancashire' claims, it is good for Preston and nowhere else. Preston planners will just railroad it through planning anyway that's what their paid to do, so I hope it does get called in.

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retired one says...
9:44pm Thu 9 Jul 09

Get real Mr. Lee, Preston is a city and should have a bigger and better shopping centre than Blackburn.
Preston is much better than Blackburn anyway,with park and ride and not expensive parking rates like Blackburn.
I would much rather shop in any town than Blackburn. Preston will have John Lewis, whereas Blackburn will have Primark. So roll on the Tithebarn scheme.

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Christian says...
10:45pm Thu 9 Jul 09

Preston is a 'city' by name, its not a proper city. God knows why John Lewis chose them, Preston is not 'high-class' or 'upmarket' like JL. Tithebarn will never happen it is unrealistic and unfairly oversized.

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easymonies says...
4:34am Sat 11 Jul 09

Why should Preston be equal to B/pool, B/burn and Burnley? Preston is a much better place to be, I shop there all the time.

During the summer months Blackpool is full of drunks in the middle of the afternoon, not something for kids to endure and having been there last Sunday, It was like a ghost town. Blackpool is a seasonal town.

After popping into Blackburn, apart from all the reconstruction going on and Car Parks now closed, I parking in Morrisons and walked over through the market which had more stores closed than open. Blackburn was really quiet.

Went to Preston, and it was busling, loads of shops and I got everything I needed. And it was easier to park.

Know where my vote would go.

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Christian says...
10:33pm Sun 12 Jul 09

Blackpool is NOT 'full of drunks' I live there and that is nothing but a biased stereotype. I think Preston is a dull, lifeless clone town that thinks its Manchester. I never ever shop there, Blackburn is a nicer place than Preston. Preston is full of drunks and beggars in my experience and those annoying charity people harassing you in the street. I was there the other day (not to shop) and there was no less than 10 of them in one street. Preston should be equal because they have already had billions more in investment than Blackpool or Blackburn and the NWDA strategy says we should be equal. Preston is a similar size to the other towns in population, it is not a proper city. I hope Tithebarn fails.

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Merlin The Voice of Reason says...
5:13pm Mon 13 Jul 09

The NWDA is run predominantly by people with vested interests in Manchester primarily, then Liverpool, so it is no surprise that they do not want a 3rd city in the region to take off! If you don't believe, take a look at the CVs of the Eexecutive on their website.

Secondly, lots of people from East Lancashire already go into Manchester, and increasingly Liverpool, for a day out to shop. So the pound notes are currently being outside of "Lancashire".

Preston should be allowed to develop. In all honesty, it is a bit shabby at present but has much to offer, and also now the 5th largest student population in the country.

I honestly don't think Blackpool or Prston has much to fear. A lot of visitors to Blackpool and the Fylde will go day tripping to Mcr anyway, so why not tempt them into Preston?

This is getting a bit childish IMHO.

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Christian says...
5:59pm Mon 13 Jul 09

TBH I agree Merlin, I often daytrip to Manchester and Liverpool or Trafford when I want more specialist stores or a different experience. I never ever go to Preston. We don't need a 3rd city, the NWDA should stick to the Regional Spatial Strategy and keep the four second tier towns (inc Preston) on an equal level, Preston should be allowed to develop but not at the expense of other neighbouring towns like Blackpool and Blackburn who have had hardly any investment compared to the billions Preston has had. I don't want our visitors going to Preston, i am not having Preston profiting out of Blackpool. They need to drop this silly '3rd city vision' and come up with something more realistic. Preston has no place for high-class shops and restaurants because there is no demand for it. Preston is a working class market town and they should accept that.

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