A supermarket chain may abandon its plans for a town centre store following difficulties buying the land needed.

Waitrose wants to build a new superstore on the Gateway and former Total garage sites in Wallingford.

However, it has not yet been able to reach agreements with all the 13 landowners involved, eight of whom would have to relocate.

Waitrose might seek South Oxfordshire District Council's help in acquiring the land using compulsory purchase orders.

Progress on the planned development has also been hit by opposition by planning officers to Waitrose's initial plans. They told the firm to go back to the drawing board.

Following a meeting with a delegation from the supermarket chain, Mike Butt, the council's deputy chief executive, said the company might abandon its plans if it could not reach a reasonable agreement with all the landowners.

He said Waitrose did not have an "open chequebook".

He added: "Progress is continuing to be made. They are endeavouring to address the issues that have been of concern to planning officers.

He said a public exhibition and consultation exercise could be held later this year.