THE creation of an £18 million shopping and leisure complex at Lower Audley is described as being in Blackburn's town centre (LET, August 6).

But it is some way from being in the town centre, with the rail line forming the natural boundary. Turning the town's station back to front does not make the area more 'the centre' either.

If incoming tenants Matalan or Staples were developing in Lord Square-cum Church Street, that would be the town centre. And although welcome as a vast improvement for the Lower Audley area, it is an 'out-of-town' development and will do little to improve the lot of the actual town centre.

Unless the council gets a grip on the Lord Square/Church Street white elephant, the town will continue to go down the pan.

SAM SPENCE, Ribblesdale Place, Blackburn.