A BUSINESSMAN last night pulled out of a proposed £6m sports development in Darlington after a proposals for a rival project were revealed.

Entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne, founder of Bannatyne Fitness, said he was on the verge of signing a deal to buy land at Morton Palms to build a health club and head office for his company with the creation of 90 jobs.

But he has pulled out of the deal at the 11th hour following a wrangle over JJB Sports' proposals - revealed in The Northern Echo yesterday - to build a Soccerdome in the same area.

Mr Bannatyne argued the retail element to the Soccerdome scheme - which would include a JJB Sports store and a TJ Hughes store - should be thrown out because the site was not designated for shops in the council's local plan.

When the authority declined to immediately rule the scheme out, Mr Bannatyne withdrew his plans. The council said the Soccerdome scheme must go through full consultation, like any other planning application.