A SAINSBURY’S supermarket will not be built in a Somerset village after bosses decided the scheme was no longer ‘viable’.

The supermarket was given planning permission to build at Steart Farm in Cheddar in February 2013.

But a spokesman said: “Following an internal review we have decided we are unable to proceed with plans to develop our proposed new store on this site.

“This decision has taken some time to reach and has not been made lightly, however in the period since our proposals were first announced, the food retail market and customer shopping patterns have changed considerably.

“As part of an ongoing review of all new supermarket schemes, we’ve concluded that a viable scheme can no longer be delivered and we will be marketing the site as soon as possible.”

Sainsbury’s is currently in the process of refurbishing the former Tout’s Budgens store in Roynon Way.

The spokesman said: “We recognise that this news will be disappointing, however we will soon be opening our smaller supermarket in the village at Roynan Way which will bring a quality shopping offer for the people of Cheddar.”

* For reaction, pick up a copy of the Weston Mercury on Thursday.