THE battle to build a new superstore in St John's and tap into the spending power on Worcester's Westside has reached stalemate.

Tesco has had plans to demolish Christopher Whitehead High School, build a store on the site and pay for a replacement school to be built on the western edge of the city.

But it withdrew its planning application in October after discovering it was likely to be turned down by city councillors.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury - who would contribute a seven figure sum to revamp the exisiting school - has permission to build on land at Swanpool Walk but cannot go ahead with its plan until it owns a strip of land that belongs to the county council.

And who is caught in the middle? The people of St John's.

They don't know if they will have to contend with a superstore on their doorstep, they don't know if the heart of the "village in the city" will be changed for ever, they don't even know where their high school is likely to be.

But Councillor Simon Geraghty wants to end this limbo - which he fears could go on for up to four years.

He aims to persuade the city council's planning committee to use a compulsory purchase order to buy the county council-owned land that prevents Sainsbury from going ahead with its development.

We believe such a dramatic move is needed because it will concentrate the minds of all concerned. As Coun Geraghty says, this matter needs to be resolved quickly.