New designs to rival the likes of Manchester's Urbis litter the skyline and streets in the revamped city centre, which has seen tourists flock to the city for some much-needed retail therapy.

It is an image civic chiefs no doubt drop off at night dreaming about.
But realistic? That is another question.

The Tithebarn project has been in the making for more than a decade, so it is not as though there has been a shortage of time to talk about it.

Some of the city's key movers and shakers believe, the ultimate decider on whether it will go ahead – and in what form – could come down to one factor: profit.

Grosvenor, the leading light of the Preston Tithebarn Partnership (PTP), earlier this month revealed results that show more than £188m has now been written off on the company's flagship Liverpool One development – the £1bn build set to be completed in May.

For a company owned by Britain's third richest man, the Duke of Westminster, it is perhaps not the end of the world.

Yet today questions were asked as to whether the company could experience similar losses in Preston and whether they will take the risk if those losses looked likely?

Council leader Ken Hudson says lessons have been learned from Liverpool, and with Lend Lease on board there is added security underpinning Preston.

But since October 2005, the projected cost of the project has increased by £350m.

At the very least there seem to be questions, confusion even, over the expected costs of the Tithebarn scheme.

Preston-based Parker and Company are the agents for the developers behind plans for a hotel and office block set to become Preston's tallest city centre building.

For the full feature, see Tuesday's Lancashire Evening Post.

Take part in our special survey about the Tithebarn development

>> Vote in our latest web poll