BOSSES at Blackburn's existing Cinema want to build a rival to the new multiplex scheme planned for the outskirts of town.

And attempts by consultants acting for Apollo Leisure to have the rival development, on a ten-acre site next to Blackburn Railway Station, turned down failed.

The company, which runs the Apollo Cinema, King William Street, wrote to Blackburn with Darwen Council's planning and highways committee to oppose the Peel Holdings scheme, headed by Rossendale man John Whittaker, part of a proposed £30million leisure complex.

The letter revealed Apollo was drawing up plans to open its own multiplex on land near Penny Street and Salford, currently vacant and seen by the council as a priority site for redevelopment.

The Peel scheme, the second phase of the redevelopment of land next to Lower Audley Street, includes a ten-screen cinema, fitness centre, bowling alley and Pizza Hut restaurant. It was approved by councillors and work on the site is expected to begin shortly.

It will create around 200 jobs in addition to the 100-plus created by the first phase, which involved a Matalan and Staples store opening.

A report to last night's planning and highways committee meeting said consultants for Apollo said Peel's development should be refused on the grounds that retail space had been included in the design of the fitness centre which they said this would have a detrimental effect on the vitality of the town centre.

They added: "Apollo operate a cinema complex within the town centre and are currently working with the Property Alliance Group Ltd in preparing a scheme for proposed development of the Salford site including a multi-screen cinema." But the report said Peel had submitted a report which concluded there was no site in the town centre suitable for the development.

Planning officers added the fitness centre would be operated by JJB Sports, owned by former Blackburn Rovers legend Dave Whelan, and a planning condition would mean the retail part of the site would not be allowed to open until the fitness centre was operational.

Because the retail space would lead to JJB relocating its Grimshaw Park store and not its town centre store, which has just moved into Blackburn Shopping Centre, the report concluded 'the additional retail space would not affect the viability of the town centre.'

Coun Andy Kay, executive member for regeneration at the council said: "It's taken a lot of hard work to get it this far and will be a valuable addition to the town centre."