The queen of the county's agricultural shows may be left without a site for next year's event if the government heeds calls from countryside campaigners to 'call-in' the showground application.
The Lancashire branch of the Council to Protect Rural England (CPRE) said this week they have asked the government to look at the plans.
They consider the development is too significant to be left with local planners and should be examined at a national level.
And Royal Lancs chairman Mr Gordon Roberts admitted yesterday (Tuesday) that a call-in would cause major problems for show bosses for 2008.
If the government agrees to the call-in it will effectively slam the brakes on the Duchy/Royal Lancs application, cause several months of delay in the decision making process and lead to a public inquiry.
The Royal Lancs's organisers, The Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society, have already come under fire for prematurely advertising its "permanent" base at Myerscough - before planning councillors have considered the scheme.
Mr Roberts, who had not heard about the call-in request until informed by The Courier, said a return to the Salesbury/Ribchester site for 2008 was "unlikely."
Asked about contingency plans in the event of the CPRE's call-in bid being successful, he said he "no idea" where there could be an alternative site for 2008.
He added in the event of a successful call-in the RLAS would have to start re-investigating potential sites.
A spokeswoman for landowner, The Duchy of Lancaster, said: "The temporary showground in itself does not formally require planning permission. However, in the interests of fair play and transparency, we have deliberately chosen to observe due process and make a formal application.
"We are therefore surprised and disappointed by this response from the local branch of the CPRE, which we believe is neither relevant nor necessary."
She said said she could not comment "on any contingency plans which RLAS may have in place."
She said the Duchy believed "the application put forward reflects the best possible solution for all.'' She added: "We therefore look forward to a successful outcome – and a successful Royal Lancashire Show."
Lancashire CPRE officials were this week waiting to hear if their plea to the government has been successful.
Spokesman Lawrence Cox, of Claughton-on-Brock, said the show plan - and the much more ambitious Duke of Lancaster Park plan due to be lodged next year - should be considered at government level because of their huge scale and potential impact, and because they will prejudice future planning policy documents.
He said the RLAS plan for Myerscough had been lodged "to prepare the ground for the 'Master Plan' permanent facility" - a reference to the multi-million pound Duke of Lancaster Park plan for the same site.
Mr Cox said: "A development of this magnitude, which so clearly conflicts with the adopted Development Plan, should not be dealt with through the planning application process."
Mr Cox added: "Our overall impression is that the applicant is trying to 'fit' the use of the land they own into the existing infrastructure and environment."
He said the CPRE would also be asking for the Duke of Lancaster Park plan to be called in, even if the call in for the Royal Lancs "temporary" plan is rejected.
A spokesman for Wyre Council said the council believed there was no need for a call-in.
Planning officials at Wyre are currently preparing their report for the January 9 meeting of the planning committee.
That report will include Preston Council's statement of opposition to the scheme.
It is expected the report will become public later this month and will include a recommendation to councillors to either approve or reject the plan.
Government Office North West, Manchester, confirmed the CPRE call-in request had been received. A spokesman said it could be between two and three weeks before a decision was made on the request.