Tesco has provoked anger by unveiling controversial plans for a garden centre in the car park at its Hove superstore.

One local businessman has threatened to start a campaign to get people to boycott the store.

Hove Tory councillor Jan Young has vowed to fight the move, accusing the supermarket giant of putting profit before local needs.

She said: "The car park is half empty for most of the time. I don't think the Church Road store is as popular as they thought it would be.

"Now they want to use some of the empty spaces to put up a tent to use as a garden centre putting profits before the needs of local people yet again.

"Turning half the spaces over for people who shop in George Street and Blatchington Road would be far more useful."

Keith Bryden, a former chairman of Hove Business Association, said: "This is outrageous and the idea should not be entertained for one second.

"Tesco came here promising to work with local businesses and the community to improve the area.

"They are doing exactly the opposite and it is time local businesses got together to make a stand against them.

"I have refused to shop there for some time because of their policies.

"I really do think it is now time for businesses to start a campaign to persuade their customers to do the same."

Tesco says there is a demand for garden goods at its Church Road store.

It has just submitted a planning application to put up an 84 sq m PVC marquee selling plants and other garden products on the western side of its 321 space car park.

It will have flagpoles flying banners from each of its corners and would be there from April until the end of October for the next five years.

Coun Young is also angry that Tesco has not yet explained what happened to antique brass window frames which went missing from its Palmeira Grande store in Western Road, Hove.

Brighton and Hove City Council threatened legal action after they were replaced by modern windows before the Metro store opened earlier this year.

Coun Young said: "I think we should call a halt on all Tesco applications until they have sorted out the parking issues at Church Road and the missing windows at Palmeira Grande.

"We thought we had an agreement with them to provide free two-hour parking so that people could shop in George Street and Blatchington Road.

"But they rode roughshod over that by only allowing their own customers to park there free for up to two hours if they spent more than £5.

"We still don't know what happened to the antique windows at the Palmeira Grande.

"They should either be fined £500,000 for that or be told to turn half the spaces at the Church Road store over to free public parking as compensation to the people of Hove.

"Whenever you go in there half the parking spaces seem to be empty anyway.

"Filling a few of them up with a tent selling plants is not going to attract more customers to shop at Tesco."

Michael Furniss, of nearby Valance Road, Hove, said: "The spaces would be better used to provide parking for people using the local shops and restaurants."

A Tesco spokesman said: "We trialled marquees selling garden goods at 30 of our stores last year and found they were well received.

"We have put in a planning application for one at the Hove store as we believe there will be a demand for the type of products it offers.

"The car parking arrangements and charges were agreed with the council and are in line with their own charges.

"The provision of car parking spaces and the windows at Palmeira Grande are separate issues and that is how we will continue to treat them."