Plans to redevelop a major brownfield site on the outskirts of a city are back on the drawing board.

The De Vere Group has withdrawn its plan to take over the Patcham Court Farm site from Brighton and Hove City Council The council named De Vere Village, part of the De Vere Group, as the preferred bidder for the site In February last year. De Vere was due to take out a 125-year lease on the site to create a hotel, leisure club and office space, estimated to bring more than 250 new local jobs.

Now De Vere says it is looking for a site nearer to the city centre.

The 3.6 acre plot at the junction of the A23 and A27 is earmarked in the local plan for employment uses.

Permission to re-market the site will be sought from the council’s new policy and resources committee at its meeting in June.