COUNCILLORS are to resort to compulsory purchase to resolve the store war that is blighting efforts to breathe new life into Amesbury town centre.

Their patience with delays - triggered by the Co-op pulling out of plans to build a new superstore only to throw its hat back into the ring after go-ahead was given to Safeway - finally snapped last week.

At a meeting of Salisbury District Council's policy and resources committee they voted to appoint retail experts Hillier Parker to advise them on a compulsory purchase strategy.

The Co-op, which owns an important strip of land linking the town centre Redworth House site to Salisbury Street, dropped its scheme for a new store two years ago and declared its intention to sell.

Plans by Safeway then got the green light but contracts were not exchanged because planners were waiting for the Co-op to release its land for development by the rival chain.

But three months ago the Co-op announced a change of mind, saying instead of selling the land it would now be seeking planning permission to build its own 15,000 sq ft store.

Compulsory purchase would allow the council, which owns Redworth House and its grounds, to buy land bordering the site from various owners and secure a package of town centre improvements.

Committee vice-chairman Steve Fear said: "We don't use compulsory purchase powers often and I think that is a mark of how strongly we feel about this issue."