Superstore site back up for sale

The site at the centre of the superstore struggle is to be remarketed

The site at the centre of a supermarket planning battle is to be put back on the market with a £3.8m price tag.

Scottish Borders Council (SBC) had agreed a contract to sell land at Pinnaclehill in Kelso to Tesco - ahead of a rival bid from Sainsbury's.

However, when Tesco could not secure extra land needed for the development it decided to remarket the site.

The land will be put back up for sale as soon as possible with a closing date likely to be in early December.

Last year SBC backed Sainsbury's preferred site at Pinnaclehill ahead of two rival locations.

The company went ahead and lodged a planning application without owning the land concerned.

However, Tesco subsequently emerged as "preferred bidder" for the council-owned site with an offer believed to be about £6m.

Purchase orders

Sainsbury's struck back by buying up adjacent land which would have been needed for any development, resulting in a planning stalemate.

It led to SBC deciding to withdraw from its deal with Tesco and putting the land back up for sale.

In the new marketing exercise, the council says it may be prepared to allow the use of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) so that the development can proceed.

However, the successful bidder will be asked to meet the council's legal costs for the sale, the bill for CPOs and the cost of any legal challenge to the council's choice of the winning offer.