CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a multi-million pound superstore in a town have been withdrawn.

Campaigners battling the proposals were celebrating as Tesco announced it had withdrawn a scheme to build a retail store at Spring Wood Road, in Guisborough, east Cleveland.

However, the company last night said the scheme had been withdrawn to make amendments.

The setback to Tesco is the second caused by campaigners in the region.

Tesco had to drop a plan to build a store in the centre of Darlington last year in the face of widespread public opposition.

The company has since submitted an application to create a Tesco Express on the site of a former filling station in Harrowgate Hill, Darlington.

But that proposal is also facing opposition from the public.

Tesco submitted an application late last year to build a 30,000sq ft store with car parking, an access road and service yard in Guisborough.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council confirmed the application had been withdrawn.

In November, company representatives held a public consultation at Sunnyfield House, in Guisborough, where they presented the scheme to the community.

But residents feared the development would take trade away from the town.

The scheme prompted wide-spread opposition in the town, with local businesses and objectors opposing the plans.

Les Conroy, of The Guisborough Bookshop, helped organise a petition, which collected more than 1,000 names against the proposals. He said: "I think it is marvellous. We had 1,000 signatures on the petition. It is brilliant news. I am thrilled with the decision and would like to thank everyone who signed the petition. We have had shoppers calling into our business to congratulate us and to say thanks for bringing this to their attention.

"Now perhaps that land could be put to some good use. Perhaps it would be better used as a high-tech business park or something like that, that might bring some high-tech jobs into Guisborough.

"Of course, another application will always be hanging over our heads, but it could be a long time. The last one was eight years ago, so it could be a while or, of course, they could resubmit this year."

Mark Whenray, the acting chairman of Guisborough Business Association, said: "We are very happy that the application has been withdrawn. On the other side of the coin, we sort of understand it is probably going to be reapplied for.

"We felt it was just slightly too far out of the centre of Guisborough and would detract people out of the town rather than in.

"We wait with trepidation to see whether another application is put in."

The association is due to hold its annual meeting on Wednesday. It has sent letters to 150 businesses, inviting their comments about the proposals.

Max Curtis, of Tesco, said: "We did not believe we were quite ready to proceed at this moment.

"We have been conducting consultation on this application since last May, and there has been two public exhibitions of the plans.

"We have looked at people's comments and made alterations, but we felt that we could look at it again and make different amendments before submitting the application."