CATHEDRAL bosses today branded the £1million scheme to regenerate Blackburn's rundown pavilions as "inferior" to their original plans.

And the Dean of Blackburn, the Very Rev Christopher Armstrong, has called on Blackburn with Darwen Council to talk to the church about the restoration before work begins.

In a letter to planning councillors, who are due to meet tonight to give their consent to the revamp of the three buildings, he criticises the handling of the project. He says the council has turned its back on a partnership approach.

A report to the committee by Adam Scott, director of regeneration at the council, insists that it crucial the Pavilions project is given the go-ahead.

He said: "The proposed development will complement the new Church Street and will secure the long-term use of these buildings and enhance the Cathedral setting."

Blackburn Cathedral was offered the three Waterloo Pavilions for a cut-price fee two years ago, on the condition it could raise the money to renovate them. Although it produced plans for the buildings, council bosses pulled back from the agreement, saying the Cathedral was never able to raise money to fund the project.

The council took over the project itself last summer. It has since found £1.3million for the scheme, most of which has come from the North West Development Agency.

Fresh planning permission needs to be awarded tonight because the council has amended the design of the building. The council has described those changes as "minor".

But in a letter to the committee the Dean, said the council's local plan identified the desirability of buildings around the Cathedral actually fronting on to the Cathedral precinct.

"The council scheme makes no attempt to do this. The Cathedral chapter feels this is an inferior scheme to the one put forward by the Cathedral and council in partnership.

"It is unfortunate that, for financial reasons, an inferior scheme is now proposed."

He lists concerns about the project, including the loss of trees.

He adds that the Cathedral is now taking advice from the Cathedral Fabric Advisory Commission to see whether it can object to proposals to place fire escapes on the Pavilions, which would lead on to its land.

The Dean adds: "The Cathedral is keen to foster a partnership approach, but we do not believe that this scheme does this and suffers as a result."

If approval is given tonight, the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, will have to rubber stamp the scheme because it involves altering a listed building.