PLANS to develop Darlington's Safeway supermarket into a megastore have been withdrawn at the last minute.

The change was revealed yesterday to Darlington Borough Council's planning applications committee, which had been preparing to debate the proposals.

The scheme would have seen the Victoria Road supermarket extended by 2,700 square metres, 300 jobs created and a new line of products, including freshly-cooked foods, electrical goods and a beauty section added.

Planning officers had recommended that the proposals should be refused, but yesterday councillors were told consultants working on behalf of Safeway had faxed notice of the withdrawal to the council on Tuesday.

The notice said reasons for the decision would be passed on to the authority in the near future.

Five objections to the application had been received, including opposition from Boots, Somerfield, which operates Kwik-Save in Cockerton, and the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE).

Council officers argued the plans should be refused because they would be detrimental to the town centre's growth, despite its position only yards away from the inner ring road which defines that area.

Planning officer Adrian Miller, in a report to the meeting, suggested Safeway had failed to demonstrate it could not sell its proposed new lines from its two stores in the town. It has a second in the Queen Street Shopping Arcade.

One letter of objection had been received from a resident, who cited the impact on adjoining woodland, wildlife and town centre shops, extra traffic, an adverse impact on property values and a conflict with the Borough of Darlington Local Plan.

The CPRE argued that the new jobs would be transfers from other stores that might close as a result of the development.

In his report, Mr Miller, agreed with some of the objections and concluded that the proposal for expansion should be refused.

The report stated that any development of Safeway would be detrimental to the council's plan to develop the town centre.

No one from Safeway was available to comment on the decision last night.