Planners could favour the Waitrose supermarket on Dover Road over Discovery Park's Sainsbury's.

The decision will be made at a special planning meeting tonight night but planners have already recommended the supermarket application at the former Pfizer site for refusal.

In a document attached to the agenda, it states that "due to its size and scale, location and siting, some 1.8km from the Sandwich Town Centre Area/Primary Shopping Area would result in an unjustified level of out of town retail development which would be poorly related to the Sandwich Town Centre."

It is believed that this could damage the economy of the town centre.

The supermarket comes as part of the enterprise zones' master plan for housing, leisure facilities and a food store.

The document highlights that it has been taken into consideration that the park needs an cash injection which a supermarket would provide, however, it is not believed that the enterprise zone will fail if the Sainsbury's is rejected.

The other application, the Waitrose store on Dover Road and the re-location of The Butchery Surgery with pharmacy is described as representing "a sustainable form of development."

It has been recommended that permission be granted if developers provide certain requirements including a bus shelter, pedestrian visibility and parking provision.

Read this week's Sandwich edition of the East Kent Mercury for the final decision.