CONTROVERSIAL plans to expand an out-of-town retail park have been unveiled - and town centre traders have vowed to fight the scheme.

Peel Holdings was forced to withdraw its original plans for the Whitebirk retail park on the Hyndburn and Blackburn boundary two years ago.

Now the company is pledging to attract big high street names such as Next and Asda and create 250 jobs with a revised proposal.

For the plan to be approved, Hyndburn Council would have to remove the current restriction which prevents the retail park selling clothes and foodstuffs.

And traders in Blackburn and Accrington centres feel the scheme would be a "disaster" for them by taking customers away from the towns.

Existing stores at the Whitebirk retail park mainly trade in white' goods as well as furniture and carpets.

The plans being submitted to Hyndburn Council are 30 per cent smaller than the one in 2004, according to Peel.

They could be considered at the next meeting of the planning committee.

Four new units will be built and Peel said they will be filled by an Asda Living store and a Next, which will both focus on selling fashion and home wares, and a Boots. No tenant for the fourth unit has been announced.

But Raymond James, a boss at Accrington's Arndale Shopping Centre, has already written to Hyndburn Council objecting to the scheme.

He said: "If the retail park goes through it will basically be the death of the town centre."

He is backed by Hyndburn and Blackburn's chambers of trade.

Hyndburn president Ian Smith said: "Our position is the same as with previous applications: We will fight it."

The application could be considered by Hyndburn Council as soon as next week.