PLANS to breathe new life into Blackburn's historic pavilion buildings have hit a major stumbling block after the cost of the scheme doubled.

Now the opening date for the high-class restaurant lined-up to occupy the famous buildings has been pushed back by a year until 2003 -- at the earliest.

But cathedral and council bosses today pledged that they would work hard to make sure the plan did go ahead amid concern that another scheme to revamp the properties could flounder.

Blackburn Cathedral, which purchased the three Georgian Grade II listed buildings from Blackburn with Darwen Council in the spring for just £45,000, received planning permission for their redevelopment in the summer.

They had planned to strip out the interiors of the buildings, in Church Street, Blackburn, and build new glass structures to fill the gaps between the three properties to create a two storey venue.

Chef Nigel Haworth, of Northcote Manor, Langho, plans to open a bar-restaurant inside the revamped building.

But new structural surveys have revealed a catalogue of potential problems which have sent the overall project cost soaring from £1million to more than £2million.

Canon Andrew Hindley, who is overseeing the project, said: "When the original link buildings between the pavilions were demolished, the cellars beneath them weren't sealed properly so work now needs to be carried out on them to make them strong enough for the new glass structures to be placed on top of them.

"The wall which runs between the buildings and the cathedral grounds and also makes up part of the Pavilions' back walls also needs strengthening before any major work can take place.

"The pavilions themselves are not as strong as we thought and will need work on them before we can strip them out inside.

"It will mean the project now costs more than £2million so obviously we have had to reassess things."

Fresh applications for extra money from Blackburn with Darwen Council's Townscape Heritage Initiative -- which is helping fund the restoration of the Exchange Arcade in nearby Fleming Square -- and the North West Development Agency have been submitted in an attempt to cover the extra cost.

Canon Hindley added: "We are looking at other sources as well and I am still optimistic that the project can go ahead the way we presented it.

"The earliest any renovation work will begin is after the council has finished pedestrianising Church Street to make it easier to get our construction vehicles under way."

Nigel Haworth said: "I am still committed to the project and I hope it will play a part in rejuvenating Blackburn and attract other people to the area as well."

Coun Ashley Whalley, executive member for regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, today said the council was working with the cathedral to overcome the problem.

It is hoped the pavilions will compliment the renovated Church Street and provide a base for pavement cafes along the road.

Several similar schemes by private firms fell by the wayside before the council sold the properties to the Cathedral because it felt they had a better chance of obtaining funds to restore them.

They used to be a bank and shops but have now been empty for 24 years. In 1996, their poor state of repair nearly led council bosses to authorise their demolition.

Doug Chadwick, chairman of the Blackburn Civic Society, said: "It is important for the whole regeneration of Blackburn that this project goes ahead.

"We have been disappointed before but the completion of the pedestrianisation of Church Street and the lack of traffic will draw more attention to them."