PLANS for an 84-bedroom hotel on the edge of Petersfield have been withdrawn by the American chain Days Inn.
Petersfield traders and residents gave a cautious welcome to the plans. when they were submitted to East Hampshire District Council in March.
But some were worried that the desperately needed hotel would be too far away from the town centre to benefit traders and many felt the proposal was too big for the site.
The hotel plans included a restaurant and conference facilities. It was planned on land south of Buckmore Farm next to the new McDonald's which opened last month. A car park for 86 cars was proposed alongside the hotel.
There has been detailed planning permission for a 40 bedroom hotel on the site since l998 but the withdrawn application would have been more than double this size.
Petersfield town councillors had criticised the hotel plans which they said looked like a prison.
And it looked set for refusal by East Hampshire District Council planners because of its size and design.
It is unclear whether the applicants will be re-submitting more modest plans for a hotel on the site.
Town Planning Consultancy, the company dealing with the application, told The Herald on Wednesday there was no one available to comment on the plan.
Plans for a petrol station with a shop and carwash sharing access with McDonald' and the hotel are due to be discussed by members of the district council's south planning committee on Monday.