TWO supermarket giants are likely to lock horns over controversial proposals to build a store at St John's, according to the campaign group opposing the move.

David Birtwhistle, spokesman of pressure group Save Our St John's - SOS - said Sainsbury's successful appeal against the refusal of planning permission for its store would not stop Tesco's trying to get its superstore built.

Government inspector Emlyn Williams announced his decision to overturn Worcester City council's refusal of Sainsbury's application. Members of the council's planning committee rejected the proposed 24,500sq-ft store over fears the area would become over developed.

November's five-day public inquiry into the rejection heard opponents of the store raise concerns about loss of trade, traffic congestion and the return of rat-runs throughout St John's.

Mr Birtwhistle predicted Sainsbury's and Tesco - which proposes to build a superstore on the grounds of Christopher Whitehead High School and build a state of the art school to replace it - will be locked in battles to secure their proposals.

"I can't see how either are going to pull out of the race to secure their proposals because the gain would be so big," he said.

"Tesco's proposal is more like than unlike Sainsbury's, so I don't see how planning could be refused. Really, Sainsbury's has done the hard work and got the precedent for the store and Tesco is likely to say our proposal is much better."

A spokesman for Tesco said there still remained "important questions unanswered concerning the necessary acquisition of the land required to implement the Sainsbury's scheme.

"Tesco, however, is proposing a scheme which could be deliverable and which advances wider local benefits such as a new state-of-the-art school, park-and-ride, and the retention of the tennis courts.

"It's a scheme which could be brought forward within a very much shorter time period - giving everyone greater certainty in the years ahead."

A spokesman for Sainsbury's said the company was keen to press ahead with a new store.

"Sainsbury's will continue its negotiations with officers from both Worcester City and Worcestershire County Councils to seek to address and resolve matters relating to land acquisition and other issues on the Swanpool Walk site," he said.

"A new Sainsbury's of the size proposed will strengthen the choice of food shopping available to people living in the St John's area - and at a location which is highly convenient for the other shops in St John's."