THE chair of the council's planning committee has blasted his colleagues for effectively passing a scheme to develop a retail centre in New Hall Lane.

Plans have been in the pipeline for nearly a year for the redevelopment of the former Preston Farmer and Rhodi clothing sites.

If they go ahead, development could start across the road to turn Centenary Mill into luxury apartments.

On Monday the planning committee recommended the plans be approved, but the scheme does not fall into the city's 'local plan' -- a blueprint for new developments in the city. Now the council must ask the Government's North West office for approval.

But the application has sparked protest, including complaints from developers Grosvenor, who claim their Tithebarn project could suffer if the rival scheme goes ahead.

Town centre ward councillor and chair of planning, Ron Atkins, criticised the council for passing the scheme. He said: "The plans that have been passed are largely retail. My view is that we should have retained the use which was enshrined in the local plan, mainly for employment and some housing. I feel that our greatest need in Preston is to increase our manufacturing capacity."

The plans, by William Kayley (Preston) Ltd, could see a DIY store, garden centre, builder's merchants and food outlets replacing the derelict site.

But Grosvenor, the developers behind the Tithebarn plans, logged an official objection to the council that anything which could compete with their plan should be refused.

A spokesman for Grosvenor said: "The final decision is now in the hands of North West Government Office and we await the outcome with interest."

If the plans get the green light the owner of Centenary Mill, a former Horrockses complex, plan to convert the massive property into luxury apartments.

A spokesman for the owners of the mill, Yousuf Bux, of Matli Asset Management Ltd, said: "My client will be submitting a planning application in the near future for the conversion of the mill into luxury apartments. This will help to regenerate the area and bring in a lot of money which is needed."