Protest groups would like a word before all the big decisions are made.

DEVELOPERS Chelverton - the firm behind a vast, multi-million pound project for Lancaster, say they will not meet local community groups protesting against the plans.

Ridge resident, Sue Paylor, met Simon Morgan, a director of Chelverton, this week to invite him to a public meeting.

But Mr Morgan, who announced the scheme to the Chamber of Commerce, said the plans were at an 'embryonic stage' and it would he wrong to talk the community until next year at the earliest.

Sue Paylor said: "We don't want Chelverton turning up to meetings when all the big decisions have been made.  

"This is the right time to consult the residents of Lancaster about their hopes and concerns about the Kingsway and canal corridor development. If they really believe in including local people - they must talk to us at the beginning of their fact finding mission not at the end when they can deliver a fait accompli '"

Meanwhile, a photographic exhibition of Lancaster's economic rot featuring dozens of empty shops has gone live on a new website.

Set up by a group called Grass-roots Lancaster, the website has been designed to draw attention to the plight of the local retail sector as Chelverton draw up plans for more retail units. Called 'Desolation,' it features 30 empty and boarded up premises in the heart of Lancaster plus a clickable map, which reveals the location of each property. The mystery photographer behind the project explained: "When you walk round a town your eyes are attracted towards the bright, shiny new things. You don't see the emptiness or the desolation. You walk right past an empty shop without noticing. Do we need new shopping developments when so many current opportunities are unused?"

Chelverton are currently in discussion with council officers over plans to build a supermarket, a city centre link road and big box retail units next to the town centre.  

Local resident, Sally Banks, said: "If we can't fill the empty shops in town, what impact are these large big boxes that Chelverton are talking about going to have on our town? On the website there are just thirty pictures of empty shops. If Chelverton's plans go ahead then the whole of Lancaster and Morecambe town centres will look like this."

Joyce Greenville added: "These pictures are a warning to us. I've seen towns all over that have died when big retail units have been built next to a big road on the edge of the town centre.

'Local retailers have been bankrupted and the public have no choice but to shop at big chain stores. Those towns have lost their heart - let's make sure that doesn't happen to Lancaster!" Commenting on the new website Green Party City Cllr Jonathan Sear said: "I've just had a look at the website - it's very well done and well worth a visit. Unfortunately this is only the tip of the iceberg. Morecambe has many more empty shops, and its town centre is much more fragile than Lancaster's.

It's important that councillors take a firm line on new developments to protect our town centres.'

The 'Desolation' site is at: www.nephridium.org/lancaster/Desolation/