ASDA has thrown its hat into the ring in the race to open a superstore in Looe.

The move will come as a surprise to many people who for several months have been debating the pros and cons of having a Tesco store on the outskirts of the town.

Asda is on course to have a planning application, for a site off the B3253 St Martins Road, in with Cornwall Council by November. The proposal will be in direct competition with Tesco, whose application has already been lodged for a site at nearby Barbican Road.

Mike Coles, managing director of development company Broadley Park Properties, based at Widegates, said his firm would be moving forward with Asda at the site off St Martins Road, one of the main routes into the town.

Mr Coles told the Cornish Times that his firm is proposing to build a supermarket on land below Looe Academy School's playing field, adjacent to the new Barratt housing development.

The company proposes to create a 25,000 sq ft food store together with a petrol filling station. The development would be 'cut' into the hillside.

Mr Coles said the company had consulted with the town council and would be consulting more widely in the coming weeks, before submitting a planning application.

'As part of our application, we will be providing a significant investment in the town centre. We are talking about £1m and on top of that we will be providing community benefits way beyond what we have seen so far,' he added.

Mr Coles said Sainsbury's and Morrisons had registered an interest in the site but Asda had ticked all the right boxes for his company.

'What we want to do is provide the people of Looe with a choice. Only one store will be built, so let's build the best one that minimises safety and environment concerns, and delivers significant major investment to the town centre and benefits for the town as a whole,' he said.