THE threat of redevelopment is again hanging over one of the few remaining open spaces in the north of Blackpool.

Supermarket giant Asda has put forward a new application for a three-storey office building on land off Warren Drive.

A proposal for 13 two storey office buildings, put forward earlier this year, was unanimously rejected by members of Blackpool Council's planning committee. However, Asda has carried out its threat to lodge an appeal against that decision.

Local councillor, Peter Callow, says he wants the council to take action to defend the open space, and suggests either buying the land or offering to exchange it for space in council-owned offices.

"This is a very real threat to that land," said Cllr Callow: "More so than the 13 two-storey office buildings proposed previously because they are conforming to what the council originally wanted.

"It is possible that the committee might have a job turning this down."

Cllr Callow fears that a new development would also increase flooding problems which have forced some families out of their homes.

More than 300 people packed a public meeting earlier this year to protest about the scheme.

"Last week, the council paid out £1.2 million to buy back the lease on Blackpool abbatoir," added Cllr Callow: "If it's good enough for people living in the Devonshire Road and Talbot Road area, why isn't it good enough for people at this end of the town?"

Asda received outline planning permission for the development in November 2000, but that was conditional on detailed plans being passed within three years. This was in line with the last local plan, which identified the site for an office complex in a 'high quality landscaped setting.'

The new local plan, set to come into force next year, is likely to identify the land as public open space, ruling out any development.

A Blackpool Borough Council spokesman said: "Since that time a draft replacement local plan has been prepared. This has considered appropriate future use of the site taking into account current government policy to direct all development towards brownfield previously developed sites and office development towards town centres.

"The Council's view is that in the context of this firm government policy, its own development ambitions for the town centre; established office development sites at Blackpool Technology Park and Blackpool Business Park; and, not least, the value of the site as open space there is a compelling case for protecting the site from development. On this basis the site is allocated as Urban Greenspace in the new draft local plan."