PRELIMINARY work has begun to lay foundations for the £66million redevelopment of Blackburn’s town centre shopping area.

The massive piling machine will bore holes in the ground so that concrete foundations can be put in place to create the base for the shopping development.

Loraine Jones, general manager at The Mall, Blackburn, which is spearheading the project, said: “Enabling works are under way, with sheet piling and preparations for the piled foundations commencing shortly.”