Plans to build a Waitrose supermarket on the edge of Royston remain in the pipeline, despite rumours that the development has hit a snag.

Technology firm Johnson Matthey, which had planned to have a storage facility as part of the Royston Gateway project on the A505, pulled out of the scheme in May, but Waitrose say talks with the developers remain ongoing.

A Waitrose spokesman said: “We are working our way through plans with the developer and hope to update the community in the near future.”

Councillor Lindsay Davidson, who is part of Royston Town Council which backed the scheme, said: “I think there is a hold up because of the cost of the access road from the A505.

“Johnson Matthey was going to contribute towards that before they pulled out, so there may be some difficulties there.

“But a big supermarket like Waitrose is still something that a lot of people would like to see in the town, as was apparent from the positive reaction to the developers’ survey.

“It would also bring more people into the town. Hopefully it gets sorted out soon because it has dragged on for a long time now.”