Plans to bring a popular convenience store to a village have fallen through.

Despite being granted planning permission for a Local store in Coxheath, Sainsbury’s has said it no longer plans to open a branch in the village.

A spokesman for the supermarket giant said: “Unfortunately, we are no longer able to progress with the Sainsbury’s Local at Coxheath.

“The planning consent for the store did not permit us to trade the store during the hours that we wanted to and so we took the decision not to proceed.

“We are sorry for the disappointment this will cause locally.”

The store was set to be built on the old Coxheath 4x4 Centre site on Heath Road, which closed in 2013. As well as the store, there would have been an ATM machine.

There is currently only one other ATM in the village, which charges for withdrawals.

On the planning approval document drawn up by Maidstone Borough Council (MBC), it was stated that opening hours would be between 7am and 11pm Monday to Saturday, and 8am until 10pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

MBC and Coxheath Parish Council have been approached for comment.