A MAJOR £2million retail project on a prime town centre site has been left in limbo after the council upset developers by cutting down the amount of parking spaces allowed.

Planning experts at Blackburn town hall gave the go-ahead to a scheme to build a large new retail store on land between Penny Street, Salford, Vicar Street and Starkie Street, facing Morrisons, in late 1998 - but with far fewer car parking spaces than the developers had asked for.

Now developers DRPH of Trafford, Manchester, claim the decision has put the project in jeopardy.

A spokeswoman for DRPH said the company it was talking to about taking over at the proposed store has pulled out because of lack of car parking.

She added: "This was a £2million project which would have created 16 jobs.

"But the company which was interested has pulled out and despite our best efforts we are unlikely to find anybody else to move in at the site because of car parking problems. This is as a result of Blackburn with Darwen Council's policies. It is a great shame." Council planning chief Peter Kuit explained that the authority had inherited a policy from the county council which restricted car parking at new developments to encourage more use of public transport.

He added: "It is a policy which is receiving our attention and we don't want to be losing good developments.

"We understand the company which wanted to move on to this site is looking at another site in Blackburn.

"But the land in question remains undeveloped and we would be pleased to see it developed."

Meanwhile, an announcement is expected before the end of May on which companies will be moving on to the Town's Moor retail park on Russell Street, Blackburn, which is under construction.

Six units are being built at the site and, as reported two weeks ago by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, two will be used by Blockbuster video and Wickes Home Improvements.

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