SUPERMARKET chain Safeway is believed to have doubled its offer for a controversial piece of land in the centre of Barnard Castle.

The group has dismissed rumours it has no intention of developing the land as a store.

Today, a special meeting of Teesdale District Council is expected to decide whether to accept the offer, thought to exceed the £150,000 offered by bidding rival consultants David Alcock and Partners, by £10,000.

The future of the land has been the subject of much discussion in the past two years.

A dispute arose last year between Safeway and the council over the value of the land.

Safeway spokesman Peter Sitch confirmed last night that the store chain had tendered a new offer for the site.

He would not confirm or deny the £160,000 figure.

The council's chief executive, Charles Anderson, declined to comment.

The revelation follows a meeting of Barnard Castle Town Council on Monday night.

Council members declined an offer by Staindrop businessman Brent Stephenson to head a public forum on the issue of Barnard Castle's future as a shopping centre, focusing on the site.

Councillor John Hinchcliffe said: "Until such time as we get a statement from the district council, I think we should leave well alone, and I don't think we should get involved at all."

Coun Alan Wilkinson said: "I think the town council's job would be first to meet with a group from the district, as we do on many other issues.

"If things are still unsatisfactory, then there could be a public meeting, but not called by us."

District and town councillor John Watson said the town council had a duty to represent its residents on such an issue, and not taking part would "hold the town council up to ridicule".

He said: "People are aware that whenever there is a significant issue the town council disappears down a void. We have a duty to respond to our people."

Coun Margaret Hambleton said: "All the way through, we've said nothing. I feel that we really ought to have had a little meeting of some description to put our views forward and let the public know that we are interested."

Mr Stephenson intends to hold a meeting, at Witham Hall, Barnard Castle, on September 1