ASDA will not be opening a new store in Dover after an internal review of its involvement in the Dover Town Investment Zone plans.

Planning permission was granted last year - and Dover District Council has expressed its disappointment ASDA has now decided its part in the scheme is no longer commercially viable.

The council has already confirmed with Bond City, its development partner, that existing commitments for a hotel and other housing aspects of the scheme will be able to progress for other areas of the site.

It has started to review alternative options to replace ASDA. All the work done up until now on creating the framework for the development will be available to any interested parties.

Cllr Paul Watkins, leader of Dover District Council, said: "I am disappointed that, after all of the effort the council, ASDA and our partner Bond City have put into this development, we are not able to continue with ASDA as a partner for this part of the Dover Town Investment Zone scheme.

"We will now work hard to secure the rest of the development and seek a new partner to replace ASDA."

An ASDA spokesman said: "We are very disappointed but despite the best efforts of all concerned, we have had to end our involvement in the scheme.

"There were key areas that we could not agree on, such as design requirements and the operation of the shoppers’ car park. We want to invest in Dover but unfortunately we will not be able to bring forward an ASDA store on this site."