An MP has grave doubts that Sainsbury’s will ever build a store on the site of the old Bradford & Bingley headquarters in Bingley.

Philip Davies said Sainsbury’s chief executive had given him “a clear indication” that it would not be developing the site in a letter.

He said the company is leaving people in “no man’s land”.

Sainsbury’s had announced plans for a 40,000 sq ft store with about 300 car parking spaces and a restaurant, which would create 250 full and part-time jobs, at the site in Main Street.

But last month the store group announced it would not be building in Bingley during 2013-14.

Mr Davies (Con, Shipley) said in tweets that Sainsbury’s “clearly have no plans to build a store there now”, adding that his feeling was that the company had no intention of developing the site.

“That is indeed my opinion and the clear indication they have given,” he said.

The Shipley MP said yesterday that the letter from chief executive Justin King said the firm was “looking at alternative solutions”.

“I have no idea what that meant, but it seemed to me that they were trying to find a way to exit the site, reading between the lines,” Mr Davies said.

“My opinion is that if somebody wanted the site, they would be happy to sell it. My opinion, and inkling, is that they just want to find a way out of that site. I get an impression that they are never going to build a store there.”

Bingley Chamber of Trade and Commerce’s honorary president Howard Martin said people would like to see the building brought back into use as soon as possible.

Bradford Council’s executive member for employment, skills and culture, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe said: “We know it’s not going to be this financial year, but we’ve said we’ll work with them. We want to make it as quick and easy as possible, but at the moment it’s up to them when it will be built. We hope that they will be looking to build next year.”

A spokesman for Sainsbury’s said: “We have already made a significant investment in the town by buying the site and gaining planning permission. The situation is constantly under review, although we cannot go into specifics due to commercial sensitivities. However, we will engage with the local community again when we are in a position to do so.”