Developers planning Battleship Point, a major mixed-use project on the west bank of the Cape Fear River, announced Thursday they are officially withdrawing applications from the town of Leland.

The group had sought a new riverfront zoning designation and annexation by the northern Brunswick County town after the same requests stalled with New Hanover County officials.

"We appreciate very much the hard work put in by the [Leland] Town Council, the Planning Board and the Planning Staff," wrote Kirk Pugh of KFJ Development in an email Thursday. "The ongoing logistics around providing utility services to Battleship Point made annexation into the Town of Leland more problematic than originally anticipated."

That doesn't mean the Leland annexation idea is dead in the water.

"While we are not ruling out Leland entirely, we are focusing our efforts on New Hanover County and are hopeful to have some answers soon," said Pugh, who is also a Realtor with KBT Realty Group in Wilmington.

The project, which involves an arrow of land that juts into the Cape Fear and Northeast Cape Fear rivers, across from downtown Wilmington, has met with opposition from some historical and environmental experts and groups. Preliminary plans for the development call for three multi-story towers, up to 24 stories; 550 condominium units; 300 apartments; and commercial space, including a luxury hotel.

Battleship Point has also been met with questions from members of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners.

New Hanover County has not yet set a date for another work session on west bank development or Battleship Point, said Rebekah Roth, the county's planning and land use director, in an email Thursday.

"Staff is still working to prepare information requested by the Commissioners at the last work session, and we've been working with the Clerk's office to identify a meeting date," Roth said.