COUNCIL bosses were under fire today after it was revealed a major town centre regeneration project was a month behind schedule, and all that will mark its completion is five wooden plinths.

Planners are blaming poor winter weather for the delay over the £2million Church Street pedestrianisation scheme in Blackburn town centre.

And today it was revealed the £241,000 modern-art sculptures which will dominate the completed street will not be in place until September -- but their empty stands will.

Plans to transform the Pavilions buildings into an upmarket cafe and restaurant have also suffered a setback after the cost of the project rose from £1million to £2million.

Blackburn Chamber of Trade hit out at the delay while the council said poor weather over the winter period had resulted in the completion being put back from Easter to the end of April.

All five of the 'Transitions' statues are expected to be in place by September.

Chamber of Trade president Ron O'Keeffe, said he hoped the development would not suffer as many setbacks as the regeneration of the town's railway station which was 12 months behind schedule.

He said: "I fear this is becoming another train station. We were promised that would have been done in time and that has dragged on for the last couple of years.

"We were under the impression the Pavilions would have been completed at the same time as Church Street but work hasn't even started.

"What we are going to have is this wonderful new street with lorries pounding over it to get to the Pavilions when work starts there.

"We had always been led to believe the statues would go in place too. I would rather they put them in as they are ready rather than when they are all complete. At least people would have something to look at."

The man in charge of regenerating Blackburn town centre stood by his decision not to put some of the statues in place next month.

Councillor Ashley Whalley said: "I'm doing what is best for Blackburn."

He added it never had been feasible to have the statues ready at the same time as the rest of the street.

The council unveiled plans for the five sculptures last February and commissioned Yorkshire artist Ian Randall to create works to highlight Blackburn's connection with the cotton trade.

Each sculpture represents a different stage in the development of the cotton plant. They are made from bronze, stainless steel, fibre optics and stone and three will have water features.

Coun Whalley, executive member for regeneration, said the wooden plinths where the statues will stand would give a taste of things to come.

He said: "Two sculptures have been cast, with one more on its way.

"We were offered the chance to take the first two now but it would have a taken a fortnight to get everything into place.

"These sculptures are so extraordinary that we don't want them to lose any of their impact by dropping them in one at a time.

"They will all arrive at the end of August and hopefully we will be able to unveil them at the beginning of September.

"We will get it done. You can't rush an artist, but at the same time you can't say 'have as long as you like.'

"We agreed a window for completion and I am happy it will be spectacular."

Artist Ian Randall said: "Dropping them in one by one would have been a nightmare. There will be a much bigger impact if they all go in at once."