PLANS for Burnley's stunning new multi-million pound town centre shopping and leisure complex have been unveiled.

The plans for the development - dubbed The Oval - include a flagship department store, 22 two-storey shop units and space for restaurants and bars centred around an oval public space to replace the town's Peace Gardens, which will also include an outdoor cinema screen.

It has been hailed by town centre bosses as Burnley's biggest ever development.

However, not everyone has welcomed the plans.

Retailers in Curzon Street, where shops have been earmarked to make way for the development, have said they only heard of demolition plans yesterday.

The developer behind the £55million vision for the former Co-op Pioneer site, in Curzon Street, is Henry Boot Developments.

The firm, which is currently developing similar schemes in Ayr, in Scotland, and Walthamstow, in London, has been chosen by Burnley Council as its preferred developer from a shortlist of five "big hitting" companies.

Speaking at the launch of the proposals, Simon Dew, from Henry Boot Developments, said: "We are delighted to have been chosen by the council as their development partner for this exciting opportunity.

"Our architects, Hurd Rolland Partnership, have designed an outstanding scheme that will attract some major new names to the town."

He remained tight-lipped about the stores they hoped to attract to the new complex but revealed that they were in talks with Debenhams.

Andrea Stott, from retail agent GVA Grimley, which is working on the project, said: "It is important to secure the department store and other key retailers.

"These will then act as a catalyst for drawing other retailers."

Other high street names rumoured to be interested in securing a place in The Oval include Gap, Next and H&M.

The developer is aiming to submit and planning application for the development, which is expected to create 400 jobs, early next year.

If that is approved construction could start in summer 2005 and the complex could be completed by 2008.

Burnley Council leader, Coun Stuart Caddy, said that with so many proposals to transform parts of the town coming forward, including the regeneration of some of its most deprived areas under the Elevate Housing Market Renewal Programme, plans to build five new state-of-the art secondary schools, and the planned redevelopment of the Weaver's Triangle area, this was an exciting time for Burnley.

He said: "This is the most exciting development in Burnley town centre in recent years.

"It will completely transform the town and place us on the map as a major shopping centre, attracting new businesses and dramatically improving the range and quality of shops."

This view was supported by town centre manager, Lisa Durkin.

She said: "This is the biggest thing ever to happen to Burnley town centre and will be a massive boost to the town centre business community.

"In securing the department store, it will be the biggest development ever to happen in Burnley and makes us really competitive."

Hayley Lowe, assistant manager at TK Maxx department store, in Church Street, said: "Anything that brings in extra business into Burnley town centre has to be a bonus.

"We will get extra business if it attracts more shoppers into town."

The Co-op store that previously stood on the site closed in January 2001 with a loss of 60 jobs.

"It was demolished last year after the North West Development Agency (NWDA) gave a grant of £1.8million to buy the long-term lease back from the Co-op so that Burnley Council could be the sole owners.