CONTROVERSIAL plans to build an eight-storey shop and apartment complex on the former Sainsbury's site in Prestwich have been put on hold.

At a packed planning meeting on Tuesday, councillors decided to go back to the developers to ask if they could come up with an amended plan.

Earlier in the day, councillors were confronted by around 70 people --mostly protesters -- when they went to have a look at the derelict site next to the Longfield Centre for themselves.

The committee members and protesters then reconvened later in the day as the planning committee invited all interested groups to speak before making its decision.

The aim of forcing the re-think is to try to reduce the impact on Our Lady of Grace Church. It is feared that the apartments would block out light to the church if built to the eight-storeys described in the original scheme. The committee has asked the developers to look specifically at the Fairfax Road side of the plans.

The priest at Our Lady of Grace, Monsignor John Allen -- who welcomes the regeneration of Prestwich but thinks the original plan was an "over-development" of the site --welcomed the decision to delay.

"The councillors on the planning committee are to be congratulated for they have listened to the people of Prestwich. They have voted out the specific design and it is now up to the developers to come up with an acceptable alternative."

The developers, Richardsons (with MCO Developments) and Countryside Properties, had previously defended the height of the planned buildings.

At an earlier public meeting a number of locals supported the plans. The supporters feel the town would benefit from £16 million development which would see high street shops on the ground floor, a car park on the first floor and three blocks of four, five and six storeys each for apartments, taking the building to eight storeys in all.

The planning committee has already imposed an obligation on Richardsons to contribute to tidy-up work on the Longfield Precinct itself to "provide for the future recreational needs of residents" and to contribute to artwork on the site. The company has pledged to invest £300,000 in the centre.

No new date has been set for the plans to be discussed again.