BLACKPOOL'S hoteliers and traders have spoken out against controversial plans to build on Jubilee Gardens at Cleveleys.

Blackpool Combined Association (BCA) -- which says it represents 1000 members, the majority in tourism -- has revealed it wrote to Wyre Borough Council in July, objecting to Property Alliance Group's original plans for a 60-bed motel, four screen cinema, ten pin bowling alley and two fast food restaurants on the seafront site.

Chairman Lynn Cole wrote to council leader Councillor Alan Vincent of the 'growing awareness of the need to preserve open space for posterity' and safeguard amenities.

And she said BCA felt it would be 'inappropriate to increase the number of letting bedrooms in an already over saturated market' -- for example by building a 60 bed motel. The BCA -- which includes groups such as Bispham Traders and Hoteliers Association and the Coliseum Traders Association -- made the revelation ahead of Wyre's cabinet meeting this coming Monday.

On the agenda is a discussion of council notes taken at a private meeting about Jubilee Gardens on July 23 , involving Cllr Vincent, Cllr Jim Lawrenson (deputy council leader), Water's Reach Residents Association and Jubilee Action Group.

Cllr Lawrenson said the notes were going before cabinet simply to update members and put the notes in the public sphere.

He refuted claims by Jubilee Action Group that the notes were inaccurate in 13 places, saying: "There always will be discrepancies in a meeting that went for two hours. Those discrepancies are minimal I would have said."

He said BCA's belief that extra letting bedrooms were 'inappropriate' was 'very wrong'. "The Wyre Tourist Association is desperate for bed spaces," he said.

Property Alliance Group has been revising its plans in the light of public consultation.