CENTROS has launched a blistering attack on English Heritage in the wake of the city council's decision to withdaw from the public inquiry into its £150 million retail-led scheme.
The heritage body has responded by calling on the developer to withdraw its plans.
But Centros says it has no intention of doing so.
Instead, it has urged the secretary of state, John Denham, to make a decision which shows that the regenerati
on of Lancaster 'outweighs the retention of a handful of unremarkable and unlisted buildings'.
Centros chief executive, Richard Wise, said: "It is high time that the government called English Heritage to heel. "Their contribution to this development has been erratic at best and is likely to send shockwaves throughout the property sector as well as local authorities trying to achieve regeneration of their town and city centres.
"In Lancaster, English Heritage firstly failed to engage meaningfully with us in the master-planning process which we began in 2005.
"Then following significant changes that we made in response to their input on our subsequent planning application, they stated that they were happy for Lancaster City Council to decide the application.
"After the council's decision in favour of our development, English Heritage then reneged and campaigned with other members of the heritage lobby for a call in.
"Whilst many people were surprised that we chose not to appear at the inquiry, we did so because we felt so strongly that we should not have to finance a process that was not of our making
"Developers and investors need a level of certainty in the planning process – especially when economic regeneration is at the top of the nation's agenda.
"This level of performance by English Heritage - when their full attention has only really been given to the project at the public inquiry stage - is woeful.
"With the secretary of state giving in to their late intervention, neither developers nor local authorities can have confidence in the planning system.
"But the secretary of state still has the opportunity of demonstrating his authority by making a decision that gives clear guidance to both the council and us as developer that regeneration of Lancaster city centre outweighs the retention of a handful of unremarkable and unlisted buildings.
"If the Government really wants to deliver economic regeneration, then it needs to stand firm in the face of interventions like this and others such as the recent royal one on Chelsea Barracks, so that developers and investors can have confidence in the planning process."
An English Heritage spokeswoman, said: "English Heritage welcomes Lancaster City Council's recognition that there are significant problems with these applications, and also its decision not to present further evidence to the inquiry. "We believe that Centros should now withdraw the applications to avoid the need for the further investment of time and resources in the continuation of the inquiry.
"If the present applications are withdrawn or refused English Heritage will aim to work with Lancaster City Council and other interested parties in the development of proposals that can command widespread support."
