The deal is subject to contract and minutes published this week reveal that lawyers for both parties are trying to agree "a clause or form of wording that would address the issue of vacant possession" – a reference to the ongoing negotiations with the council's tenant, Larne Football Club.

The official record adopted at the council's monthly meeting on Monday night makes no reference to the eleventh hour rival bid – said to be £7 million from an offshore company called Big Sun – which was reported in minutes back in July.

We are aware that Big Sun made a tentative effort to contact us and we hope to speak to a representative of the company in the next few days.

In response to our inquiries, Smiley Buildings issued a statement on Tuesday saying, "Larne Borough Council can confirm that it has resolved to progress the sale of Inver Park to Tesco. It is correct that a rival bid was received, subject, however to a number of issues.

"The council through its legal representatives responded to this rival bid. However, there has been no subsequent contact from the party concerned or from its legal representatives.

"The council continues to negotiate with Larne Football Club and its legal representatives and is optimistic that an agreement favourable to all parties will be reached to include resolution of all related legal issues."

Those issues are thought to centre on the 25 years outstanding on the club's lease of the ground and uncertainty over where Larne FC will play "home" games while it waits for the council to build a promised new multi-sport stadium, partly funded by the Inver Park deal.


The Larne Times understands that attempts to identify a suitable site for the stadium have been fraught with difficulties, despite the appointment of consultants and an advertisement inviting expressions of interest from land owners.

News of the council's provisional acceptance of Tesco's bid – which has been on the table since February 2007 – comes in the week that a town councillor revealed that a developer with an interest in the Inver area received "a frosty reception" from local property owners.

Cllr Roy Craig was referring to initial approaches made by representatives of Emerald, the company that has acquired the former bleach works site neighbouring Inver Park. Emerald has lodged a planning application for a major retail development, featuring access from a proposed roundabout which would link the site with the A8.

It has been speculated that any development at Inver Park may also be dependant on the Emerald access being approved by planners.

Cllr Craig undertook to provide more detail in confidential session, but told colleagues in the open meeting, "I think it's only fair to mark cards that they were met by a frosty reception, so not everybody in the town is keen, shall we say?"