OPPONENTS are claiming a massive multi-million pound leisure complex will badly affect trade in nearby town centres.

But developers believe 350 new jobs will be created when plans for a multi-screen cinema, bowling alley and family entertainment centre become reality. The site, alongside the new M65 extension at Blackburn, would also include parking spaces for almost 1,000 cars.

Land near Whitebirk has been earmarked and Blackburn councillors will consider the plan on Thursday.

Kingspark, a Midlands based company, has been working with town hall bosses and Blackburn City Challenge for more than three years on the project. The firm also claims to have lined up an operator to run the cinema but will not reveal a name at this stage.

Kingspark has promised to build a smaller cinema in Accrington town centre and pledged to pay £300,000 towards a new £600,000 railway station. Apollo Leisure, who run Blackburn's five-screen cinema, has also entered the race to bring the big screen back to Hyndburn.

Blackburn Civic Society were asked for their views and replied that although extra leisure facilities were to be applauded, some members felt a leisure park on the north-easterly fringe of the borough would lead to further stagnation within the town centre.

"The society are aware that a similar scheme has been put forward for a site in Darwen, which would clearly offer a more central location to the inhabitants of the borough," they said.

First Leisure, the owners of Utopia Nightclub and the recently opened Riva Bingo in Blackburn, are also unhappy with the plan.

A spokesman for the company said: "An out of town leisure development will have a serious impact upon the viability and vitality of the town centre of Blackburn. "The proposed development will undermine the worth of First Leisure's businesses both in financial terms and also our compliance with planning policies."

But Blackburn Council chiefs believe the leisure park will provide a major boost for businesses in the area.

A report to the planning and highways sub-committee says: "The proposal is very much part of the final stages of the City Challenge jigsaw.

"It is not a speculative proposal but is one that has been selected by open competition to best achieve the regeneration of Greenbank."

The report adds: "The detailed work that has gone into determining recommendations on this application has proved that the viability of the town centres will not be unduly affected if the scheme goes ahead."

The leisure park straddles the boundary between Blackburn and Hyndburn and both councils will get the chance to consider the application.

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