A PLANNING application for a multi-million pound link road in Blackburn which has been beset by delays is set to be submitted later this month.

The move follows a public consultation about the road, which would connect Freckleton Street to Montague Street, during the summer.

Four options were put forward at the six-week consultation for the road, which is seen as vital to complete the town’s orbital route and would link up with the £12million Wainwright Bridge.

The public came out in favour of an option which would see the demolition of the listed former police building in King Street.

English Heritage has previously objected to proposals to knock down the building, which means if the council presses ahead with the scheme and the objection remains there could be a costly public inquiry.

Other options put forward involved the road passing to the side of the building, but this meant the road would not be able to link up with Montague Street in a straight line.

Other possible routes involved using part of the car park by St Wilfrid’s school and knocking down a Twin Valley housing complex.

All the options require graves at St Peter’s churchyard, St Peter’s Street, to be removed.

A planning application is expected to be handed in at a meeting of the executive board on Thursday, but no completion date has been set as it depends on whether or not an inquiry takes place.

Tory council leader Michael Lee said: “We are hoping that the board will support the plans to demolish the former police building and begin work on this long-awaited project.

“The scheme has been on the cards for almost 40 years now and we really want to get work started as the road is a major concern for the people of Blackburn.”

Councillor Lee added: “We will still need to get permission from the English Heritage and we are hoping that they will not stand in our way to get this project completed.

“The listed building in King Street has been derelict for a number of years and it would cost millions to restore it, which is not a priority for the people of the town.

“However, what we do need is this new link road which I am confident would improve the area significantly.”