Multi-million pound battle lines have been drawn over the future of acres of prime development land in Sunderland.

Supermarket giant Tesco wants to spend more than �50m on what has been billed as England's biggest hypermarket on the site of the former Vaux Brewery.

But city councillors and a selection of government agencies want to create a �280m homes, leisure and business complex to rival the regeneration efforts in Newcastle and Gateshead.

A war of words was brewing after Tesco's plan was dubbed "a shed" by the boss of Sunderland's regeneration company.

Architect Piers Gough was awarded the CBE

Award-winning architect Piers Gough revealed his vision for the Vaux site, which rivals Tesco's plan for an 80,000 sq ft hypermarket built on stilts.

He said the site should be used for homes, pedestrian piazzas and glazed walkways.

Tesco also plans for some residential and business development of the prime city centre site.

Mr Gough, awarded a CBE for his services to architecture, was brought in by Sunderland Arc, the urban regeneration company comprising regional development agency One NorthEast, English Partnerships and Sunderland City Council.

The Arc plan features a �280m redevelopment of the 15-acre site, potentially creating 6,000 jobs.

Planning approval

Much of the capital would be expected to come from the private sector.

The Tesco plan, announced in September and now submitted for planning approval, features the 80,000 sq ft hypermarket, a 20,000 sq ft car park and associated apartments and offices.

But Tom McCartney, of Sunderland Arc, described the Tesco development as "a shed" and claimed the jobs on offer were of low quality.

Mr Gough said: "We are not trying to make a new centre here, but rather to join in with what is happening in Sunderland already.

Tesco's plans have been criticised

"There has been talk of building more bridges or walkways. We think a pedestrian-friendly link at ground level is possible, which may mean taming the traffic."

He said the aim was to attract people back to city living, in the same it is already happening through the multi-million pound development of the Quayside and Grainger Town in Newcastle.

Tesco said it is confident it will find a private partner to develop non-retail segments of the site.

But a spokesman would not comment on the rival plan until after it had considered its implications.

Tesco will hear the outcome of its application by February 2003.

The Vaux brewery, founded in 1837, closed in 1999 after being bought by a hotel management group.