Preston Council leader Ken Hudson said he would oppose development on the flood plain as part of the £800m Riverworks scheme if experts objected.

And the Environment Agency said it would object to the scheme until existing drainage problems are sorted out.

It comes as almost three-quarters of Lancashire Evening Post readers rejected plans to build a barrage across the River Ribble.

The concerns come after floods in Sheffield, Rotherham, Humberside and other parts of the UK claimed five lives this week.

New flood warnings for Lancashire

The Riverworks project was unveiled by Preston Council bosses in 2005. The ambitious scheme includes plans for 3,000 to 4,000 new homes, a promenade, riverside shops, and offices.

A barrage would be built to maintain the Ribble at a constant level for leisure use.

In addition, a £350m Central Park could be located on the south side of the river, opposite Avenham and Miller parks.

But the plans have provoked a huge backlash from residents and environmental groups.

Asked if the scenes of the past week would prompt a rethink on the plans, Coun Ken Hudson told the Evening Post: "The answer to that is 'yes'.

"If the Environment Agency are saying that there should be no houses on flood plain land at Preston we would take that very seriously and the houses would not be part of the Riverworks scheme.

"If it is unsafe to build houses on that flood plain then I would expect common sense to prevail and no houses built there. We are on a blank sheet of paper at the moment. Riverworks is a feasibility study and if at the end of the day it says it is not feasible then we will not do it."