The developers behind a multi-million pound bid to build homes and a superstore in central Brighton have threatened to pull the plug.

The New England Consortium (NEC) will file the latest revision of its plans for a Sainsbury's store, 200-space car park, two hotels, offices and homes on derelict land behind the railway station in six weeks.

But if the city council cannot agree, project leaders have warned their investors could pull out.

Each time plans have been drawn up to develop the city centre's largest brownfield site there has been massive opposition.

Businesses, politicians and residents have all expressed concerns about the extent of the latest development on the land, which slopes down from the station towards London Road.

The NEC has put its application on hold while modifications are made but says the controversial superstore is central to the bid.

Chris Gilbert, project manager for NEC, last night told a meeting of Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce the patience of some of the firms investing in the project was starting to run out.

He said: "We've got key investors who are sticking by us. They will not stick with us forever. We have got to get this site developed or it will stay in its present state for the next 30 years.

"People want to see this site developed. At present it is little better than a bomb site."

He said revised plans would be submitted by the consortium to the council in the next five to six weeks and he hoped the planning committee would consider them in September.

Green councillor Keith Taylor, who represents campaign group Brighton Urban Development and Design, said the plan was being pushed through with no consideration for the feelings of 6,000 concerned residents or its impact on the environment.

Chamber of Trade members also expressed concern about the traffic the scheme would generate.

Gaynor Davies, of Gamma PI, said: "Given there is almost gridlock in the city centre already, I cannot understand how there has been no proper assessment of the impact on traffic.

"Everything seems to have been worked out on the back of an envelope"

Accountant Philip Sinclair, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said it was not necessary to have a superstore with parking for nearly 200 cars.

He said: "That means we are encouraging more people to bring their cars into the centre of the city to do their shopping when we should be doing the opposite."

Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company, said: "What you have got to do is to reduce car dependency.

"I understand the five-star hotel planned on the site is willing to have no car parking facilities, so why does Sainsbury's need nearly 200?"

Mr Gilbert told the Chamber of Trade the development could not go ahead without the Sainsbury's store, and the store could not go ahead without adequate car parking.

But, he believed many shoppers would walk to the new Sainsbury's as they did to the existing London Road store.

Mr Gilbert said there was already a " a major household retailer" waiting to move into Sainsbury's London Road store once the new store was built.