THE new owners of Blackburn Shopping Centre have scrapped the £15million redevelopment of Lord Square just weeks before it was due to begin.

The Mall said the existing scheme did not maximise the site's potential -- but it would not make any announcement over new plans for at least six months. Today town centre traders reacted with concern at another delay in the battle to renovate the rundown square.

But Blackburn with Darwen Council said it hoped any new scheme would be better than the one planned by previous owners Reit Asset Management. Any new design would require fresh planning permission, making any wholesale change to Lord Square unlikely for a year.

Chief executive Ken Ford, speaking just hours after the final loose ends of the £119million take over were completed, said he didn't like the approved plans for Lord Square.

He will now lead a six-month review while also instructing leasing agents to re-let empty units on short-term contracts for the site - to be re-named The Mall at Blackburn.

He described the square as 'being tired but with massive potential'.

Previous owners, London-based Reit Asset Management had secured planning permission for the 1960s sqaure to be redeveloped, scrapping the smaller units in favour of larger stores in a bid to attract national companies.

Mr Ford, whose company has 21 shopping centres across the UK, said he was aware of the concern locally, highlighted in a Lancashire Evening Telegraph campaign.

But he added: "To me, the plans which have approval don't maximise the potential of the square for either the centre or the town as a whole.

"I would hope that I can say in six months that we want to redevelop Lord Square. It has potential, and we are here for the long haul, but exactly what we will do we're not sure about.

"What we need to do first is fill the square again. They will be on flexible loans so that when we are in a position to announce something, the square can be cleared. It would make sense to approach the people who did lease the units before to see if they want to come back.

"I know this seems like an about-turn but we can't be held responsible for what has gone before us. I want what is best for the shopping centre."

Blackburn with Darwen Council's regeneration chief, Coun Andy Kay, said: "Our big concern with Reit's Lord Square design was that it turned its back on Church Street, and we didn't want that really.

"We're already working with the new company on plans for the future and, for the first time, we actually have a company running the shopping centre, which is more than just an asset management company or a pension company, like the previous owners."

Ray Goldstone, president of the Blackburn Chamber of Trade, said: "They seem to have a lot of commitment to Blackburn and something does have to be done to Lord Square. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait."

Businesswoman Margo Grimshaw, who was among leading figures to meet the new owners on Tuesday, said: "We want nothing more than for Blackburn to be successful and to draw in more people, but sorting out Lord Square has to be done quickly."

And Jeff Stone, part owner of the Exchange Arcade, Fleming Square, said: "They need to have passion and an arrogance to help make Blackburn great again. That's what we need, and a firm which will stand up to the council when needed."