CONTROVERSIAL plans for a Tesco supermarket on the site of Christopher Whitehead School look set to go before Worcester City Council in June.

The planning committee had been expected to consider the proposals, submitted earlier this year, at its meeting on Thursday, May 22.

However, the supermarket chain has submitted further evidence to support its application and more time is now needed for city planners and engineers to consider the new information.

"Tesco has produced a whole load of new reports, figures and statistics to do with the retail impact, proposed trading hours and highways," said principal planning officer, Peter Yates.

"My engineering colleagues are wading through the highways data before they come to a conclusion on whether the anticipated traffic levels would be acceptable or not."

Tesco's plans for the site were given a boost in April when Worcestershire County Council's planning and regulatory committee gave its backing for the scheme.

The county's views will be put before the city council's planning committee when it considers the application for a store, petrol station and car park in St John's.

Tesco withdrew its original proposals last October, after planning officers said they would be recommending that the plans be refused.

However, revised proposals were submitted in February, this year.

If the proposals are given the go-ahead Tesco would pay for a brand new state-of-the-art school to be built in Earls Court Farm, west of Dines Green.