Supermarket giant Sainsbury's is suing an engineering company following claims it was forced to have a multi-million pound store rebuilt.

A High Court writ has been issued by Sainsbury's in relation to its store in The Drove, Newhaven.

The multi-national retailer says it spent £500,000 trying to repair the original building after discovering it was subsiding but the total bill for rebuilding the store could total almost £9 million.

The writ is issued against London-based WSP Consulting Engineers plc, which says the complaints relate to part of a company it purchased in 1996.

It states: "The defendant (WSP) failed to exercise the reasonable skill, care and diligence of a civil and structural engineer in designing the foundations for the superstore."

Work on the store, built on 18 metres of soft clay on the River Ouse's flood plain, started in April 1994 and finished seven months later in November.

Sainsbury's claims severe distortion and cracks later appeared in the blockwork partitions and walls, along with uneven surfaces and cracks in the floor.

Superstore officials said they had two options: To either replace the floor slab or to build an entirely new store on its car park.

They decided to build a new store, saying it would provide a permanent and long-term solution for the superstore and allow scope for development.

Sainsbury's estimates the cost of building the new store at £7,245,500. And it predicts a £1 million loss of profit because of reduced custom during construction.

The supermarket giant is claiming damages of more than £150,000 for breach of contract.

A Sainsbury's spokesman said: "We are unable to comment because it's sub-judice and a subject for the courts."

A spokesman for WSP Group plc said it acquired the complaint from an acquisition in 1996 when it bought part of a company.