Speculation is growing that Tesco may be planning to walk away from its controversial store development at Gerrards Cross.
A crucial engineering report, following the collapse of a tunnel last month, is being anxiously awaited on all sides.
Opponents of the £20m project believe there is now a strong possibility that the findings - and estimates of future costs - will kill it.
A Tesco spokesman said he was unable to say at this stage whether it remained committed to the development. He said: “Our focus is on getting the line cleared and repaired. Once that is done, we can turn our attention back to the store.”
The prediction that Tesco may ditch its plans has been encouraged by a belief among local politicians that there were deep divisions within Tesco’s senior management prior to the project getting under way. Construction costs were then already thought to be about three times Tesco’s normal expenditure for a supermarket.
Beaconsfield’s Tory MP, Dominic Grieve, believes there are now serious doubts whether the scheme will still be viable.
Meanwhile, the collapse of the tunnel has caused chaos and huge losses for local businesses. South Buckinghamshire Council leader Peter Hardy has written to Tesco asking it to contribute to a compensation fund - and is looking for “a seven-figure sum”.
As The Grocer went to press, the Tesco spokesman said it had yet to receive any request from Hardy and that it was already funding a compensation scheme set up by Chiltern Railways to help businesses affected by the collapse.
A crucial engineering report, following the collapse of a tunnel last month, is being anxiously awaited on all sides.
Opponents of the £20m project believe there is now a strong possibility that the findings - and estimates of future costs - will kill it.
A Tesco spokesman said he was unable to say at this stage whether it remained committed to the development. He said: “Our focus is on getting the line cleared and repaired. Once that is done, we can turn our attention back to the store.”
The prediction that Tesco may ditch its plans has been encouraged by a belief among local politicians that there were deep divisions within Tesco’s senior management prior to the project getting under way. Construction costs were then already thought to be about three times Tesco’s normal expenditure for a supermarket.
Beaconsfield’s Tory MP, Dominic Grieve, believes there are now serious doubts whether the scheme will still be viable.
Meanwhile, the collapse of the tunnel has caused chaos and huge losses for local businesses. South Buckinghamshire Council leader Peter Hardy has written to Tesco asking it to contribute to a compensation fund - and is looking for “a seven-figure sum”.
As The Grocer went to press, the Tesco spokesman said it had yet to receive any request from Hardy and that it was already funding a compensation scheme set up by Chiltern Railways to help businesses affected by the collapse.
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