The beleaguered supermarket chain won planning consent in 2002 after offering a £1 million sweetener for road improvements, as one of eight super-depots to replace the retailers’ outdated supply chain.

But the 18 month delay caused by protesters put the depot at the back of the queue, while design faults discovered at its West Midlands depot, and protracted talks with West Berkshire planners have cause further delay.

At the time, Sainsburys was told to start building the £100 million depot within two years, but as the deadline approaches, the UK’s #3 food retailer last week asked for more time. If council planners say no, then a whole new application will be required.

An extra 600 lorry trips a day are expected through Newbury when the depot is up and running, and Sainsburys is showing little sign of giving up. It has already sold its old depot in Basingstoke, from which the 750 workers will be bussed up to Greenham.

Last week, Sainsburys told shareholders that it already had 60% of its stock running through the new depot system, and that the next stage was to cut costs by closing down the old supply chain.

If the depot is scuppered, the level of handouts made by Greenham Common Trust to local good causes could be affected, and a £500,000 grant to restore Greenham Common will be scrapped.

Details of the application are available to see at West Berkshire Council.