Council set to shelve Tesco department store

Plans by Tesco to build its first department store are likely to be turned down in favour of a rival scheme by Waitrose.

The high street giant is one of three bidders wanting to develop a site in King Street - one of the main shopping area in Hammersmith.

Tesco intends to use the site to build the first of its new concept department stores which will sell food, clothes, electrical goods and DVDs over two floors with a food hall on the ground floor. But members of Hammersmith and Fulham council look set to back another of the bidders - one with a massive Waitrose store at its centrepiece. The third bid is also thought to include a Waitrose store.

The final vote will be made by the council cabinet at a meeting on Monday.