DEVELOPERS of a multi-million pound Asda supermarket scheme have put the site up for sale, after months of uncertainty about its future.

It is one of the options Bournemouth-based developers, Quantum, are considering for the site, due to the turbulence in the supermarket sector.

The developers have outline permission for a food store and housing at the rear of Christchurch Retail Park on Bailey Drive.

They are advertising the 5.36 acre site in the Estates Gazette, as a 'Riverside Development Opportunity'.

In the advert, Savills Southampton, who are marketing the land, say it is of interest to investors and developers, and is being sold with the planning permission for the food store and fitness facility and 25 affordable homes.

David Hines, Quantum CEO said: "We are currently considering our options for this site; these include submitting a revised planning application to Christchurch Borough Council for residential or commercial use, as well as a disposal of the site on the open market."

The plans for the site were officially granted permission in June 2013.

It was the only scheme out of three to be granted permission by Christchurch council at the time.

Since then, both the other schemes - a Morrisons at Beagle Technology and a food store at Meteor Retail Park in Somerford - have been granted permission on appeal.

However, Beagle revealed this week that Morrisons had shelved their plans for a supermarket at the Stony Lane site.

In January, Quantum's CEO, David Hines said they were rethinking their future store size and revising the plans due to 'turbulence' in the supermarket sector.

He said at the time they were working to ensure the development goes ahead as quickly as possible.

The news comes as Sainsbury's reported its sixth straight quarter of sliding sales amid a fierce supermarket price war.

The big four food stores - Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco - are under pressure from falling UK food prices and a highly competitive sector as the main players scramble for market share, which is being eaten away by discounters Aldi and Lidl.