COUNCIL chiefs could throw a spanner in the works of a new development plan by supermarket giant Asda to move to Weymouth Football Club's Wessex Stadium home.

Officers from Weymouth and Portland Borough Council confirmed today that they have been in discussion with Asda and its development partners Trent about the move to the Radipole Lane site.

But the council says that what Asda wants to do is contrary to national and local planning policy and officers will need to study the detail before their position is made clear on the scheme.

The Dorset Echo revealed last week that Terras' bosses had signed a deal for Asda to move to the 17-acre site at Radipole Lane.

Asda has yet to seek planning permission but the store wants to relocate because it has outgrown its Newstead Road base.

Although the Wessex Stadium is within West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council will have to be consulted on the planning application.

The borough council has now appointed consultants to advise them on the issues surrounding the proposal.

An important consideration is how any proposals would relate to current planning policy at local and national level, which has a strong presumption against out of town shopping.

The council is also exploring whether a small supermarket could be kept on the existing Asda site, off Newstead Road, or within a new development, along with a hotel, where the gas holder now stands.

Other issues include the impact on the existing town centre, accessibility to the proposed development by public transport and increased traffic levels.

The council is viewing these proposals in the context of its future development blueprint, the local plan.

Jim Churchouse, borough environment committee chairman, said: "It has been made clear to Asda and their development partners that there are a large number of issues to be addressed before the council could come to a position on the matter."

Football club spokesman James Murphy said: "It's still early days and there's not a lot we can say at the moment."