Work on Sainsbury's store in Bognor to begin in 2011

The grocery chain announced the move as an important deadline in its intention to return to the town passed.

The firm’s new £50m branch on the former Lec Refrigeration site was granted planning permission by the government in September.

But the decision by communities and local government secretary of state Eric Pickles could have been subject to a legal review.

The six-week deadline for such an action in the High Court to try to block the store passed without incident.

This leaves Sainsbury’s free to concentrate on bringing its 55,000sq ft store to fruition on Shripney Road.

A spokesman for the company said: “We are now looking forward to the next stage in the process – demolition and decontamination works – which will commence next year once the necessary preparations have been made.

“We will keep the local community updated with further information regarding the construction timetable as it emerges.

“We believe our plans to develop the former Lec site will deliver increased food shopping choice for local residents and help to revitalise this former industrial site.

“We will also create a significant number of new jobs for local people.”

Sainsbury’s plan was backed by Arun District Council last October but the government wanted to make the final decision because of the scheme’s potential impact on Bognor’s town centre.

This led to a lengthy public inquiry six months ago in which Morrisons argued strongly against the new store and claimed it would hit its expansion plans.

Planning inspector Stephen Amos backed Sainsbury’s for the regeneration its scheme would bring to a derelict site, its creation of several hundred jobs and stop shoppers driving to Chichester. His decision was supported by Mr Pickles’s department.