Protesters opposing a new hotel scheme in Abingdon are gearing up for a new year battle after the developers vowed to fight on.

Undeterred by objections from the Environment Agency, Discovery Properties has said it will continue with its plans to build a 100-room hotel and industrial premises on flood plain land near the Tesco supermarket, off Marcham Road.

The managing director of Discovery Properties, Hugo Hawkings, said: "Our plans have not been sunk and we carry on."

Tom Smailes, the planning liaison officer for the Environment Agency, had raised serious concerns over the plans.

Under the scheme the building's floors would be raised above flood levels.

However, Mr Smailes said the plans did not allow for dry access to the buildings during flooding and urged the planning authority, the Vale of White Horse District Council, to consider the potential threat to occupiers and users and the possibility for evacuation procedures.

Mr Smailes added: "Numerical modelling work carried out for the agency shows that the site could be liable to flooding on a relatively frequent basis. The model indicates that there is a 20 per cent risk of the site flooding on a yearly basis."

He said the development would increase the risk of flooding elsewhere.

But Mr Hawkings said: "We're determined to forge ahead and will come up with revised proposals to convince the authorities that our plans will improve the current flood risk position.

"Many of the agency's conclusions are open to question. The area has not seen a serious flood since 1947. Our plans will resolve the issue."

A new group, the South Abingdon Flood Action Group, has been formed to co-ordinate the fight against the hotel and factory plans.

The district council's development control committee is expected to examine the proposals at its meeting later this month.