Blackburn would be 'cannibalised' by Preston expansion plans

Council chiefs also raised fears about whether Marks and Spencer would remain in the town centre if shoppers were tempted up the M65 to Preston.

For the past week Blackburn with Darwen Council, alongside Blackpool, has been making the case against the Tithebarn development, which would double Preston’s retail space, at a public inquiry.

The six-week hearing involves barristers from Preston City Council, the Tithebarn Partnership and Lancashire County Council, which is also supporting the scheme.

First to give evidence was Andrew Lightfoot, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s deputy chief executive, who pointed to a recent report by think tank Centre for Cities which found that Preston had gained more than 17,000 private sector jobs in the past decade, while Blackburn had shed 4,500.

He said any increase in jobs in Preston would come at the expense of other town centres, leading to a ‘zero sum’ gain, adding: “From a Lancashire perspective there is no benefit whatsoever.”

And on Friday, Steve Hoyle, director of regenerate Pennine Lancashire, said the hard work and cash pumped into building up the town centre in recent years would be undone by the influence of the Tithebarn scheme.

Recent attempts to persuade the department store to move into the £66million Mall were thwarted, and there are fears it could move out of town.

The inquiry, at the University of Central Lancashire, will determine whether the ambitious scheme, which includes a flagship John Lewis store, will ever get the goahead.