PLANS for another retail park for Blackburn could lead to 'overkill' claims a traders' association official.

Creswell Estates Limited and British Gas have put in a joint planning application for six stores on the site of the former gas depot in Russell Street.

The 64,500 square feet development could create 120 full and part-time jobs. Several national retailers have already expressed interest in the site.

But Roy Scott, chairman of the Blackburn Market Traders Association, said the plan was "short-sighted."

He said: "It is madness. It makes one wonder when people will realise there is only so much money to be spent in Blackburn. "New stores will not make people spend any more. All it does is take away trade from existing ones.

"If these out of town schemes continue to flourish they will decimate town centre shopping."

John Holt, assistant manager of the Blackburn Shopping Centre, said he would reserve judgement on the plans until it was known which retailers would be moving in.

But he said Blackburn was already well-catered for in terms of retail outlets and the scheme could cause traffic congestion.

He suggested the site could be more suitable for office buildings than a retail park.

But David Cottam, president of Blackburn Chamber of Trade, welcomed the plan.

He said: "We have got to look at it from the point of view of the Darwen Street traders. They will benefit from a park being built there.

"A lot of parking spaces will be crated and that will only benefit people. We are not against it if it is going to bring people to that area."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.