THE owners of a site crucial to Southend United's plans to move to a new stadium say no deal has yet been made.

The club need to buy the Prospects College site in Fairfax Drive to allow access to the planned Sainsbury’s store and new housing at Roots Hall site.

Planning permission for the Roots Hall redevelopment makes it crucial for the college site to be acquired, as it would from part of the main access road to the whole scheme.

Council planners would not accept access from Victoria Avenue.

But college bosses have said no agreement could be reached over the sale of the land and without it, the scheme would have to be totally revised, leading to years of further delay.

College chief executive Neil Bates said: “Despite four attempts by the college, Roots Hall and Sainsbury’s have been unable to complete the purchase of our Southend site in accordance with the terms of the 2008 agreement.

“We’re reviewing options for disposal of the site.”

Mr Bates said one option was for the college to remain on the Fairfax Drive site.

He added: “We have made every effort to complete the sale with the football club, but we have so far been unsuccessful.”

Southend United chairman Ron Martin said: “This statement does not reflect the position or discussions which we have had.

“We met with the agent for Prospects College last Friday week, which is all I can say at the present time.”

A Sainsbury’s spokesman, said: “We are continuing to work towards the development at Roots Hall.

“However, we do not have any date for work to start or any further details at the present time.”

l Southend Council’s development control committee is expected to consider changes to planned retail and commercial development at the new 22,000-seater stadium at Fossetts Farm at its meeting next month. These would allow for the inclusion of a Morrisons supermarket and a Rank Casino as part of the development.