SUPERMARKET giant ASDA'S plan to pay £1m in return for a guarantee that Bromsgrove Rovers Victoria Ground will never be sold to a competitor has been put on ice.

It was two years ago that the Advertiser/Messenger exclusively revealed that ASDA wanted an assurance from the ground's owner, the district council as part of a £2.5m plan to expand its Market Street store and to build a two- tier car park on the present Churchfields car park.

But, after months of legal wrangling the part of the deal involving the football ground has been put on hold pending the outcome of a court decision.

Neither side can agree the precise legal position under which the land is owned by the council - a situation ASDA want clarified before parting with £1m.

This had led to the long delay in the council granting Rovers a new seven-year lease.

However, the supermarket is prepared to proceed with the rest of the original plan.

This is to purchase land from the council to extend its store at the front, construct the new car park, as well as upgrading the Recreation Road south car park.

Both car parks will be controlled by the council.

Fearful that the loss of the Recreation Road south car park, as had been proposed when Labour wanted to develop it, would cost them business ASDA are, the Advertiser/Messenger understands, prepared to stump up £500,000 for a guarantee it will remain.

Leader of the Labour group on the council, Councillor Peter McDonald (Uffdown and Waseley), commented: "If this is true I don't believe it is right for any company to have such control over what is the people's land."

Council leader Cllr Dennis Norton (Con -Norton) declined to comment.

The deal will be discussed tonight (Wednesday) by the executive cabinet in private.