TESCO has reaffirmed its intentions to build on a site in Allenton, despite no work being started on the proposed plans.
The supermarket giant was granted planning permission to build a 24-hour superstore and petrol station in July 2011 – but the site just off Spider Island still lies unused.
Recent news that the firm had overestimated its half-year profits by £250m raised questions as to the site's future – after the company pulled out of a project in Belper when annual sales fell in 2013.
But now Tesco has told the Derby Telegraph that it remains committed to the site despite the delay.
Tesco spokesman Mark Thomas said: "We understand that it's taken longer than anticipated for a start to be made on the site in Allenton.
"We've been in discussions with the local authority over our site for an extended period of time. Our time scales are kept under review and, if there's any further update, we'll be sure to let the community know."
CouncillorMartin Rawson, deputy leader of Derby City Council and cabinet member for planning, environment and regeneration, said: "It is for Tesco to bring forward detailed plans for the site and for the council's planning control committee to make a decision based on planning law specific to those submitted plans."
Meanwhile there have been calls to save the Mitre pub, which stands on the site.
Julian Tubbs, treasurer of the Derby branch of the Campaign For Real Ale, said: "I live in Shelton Lock and travelling down the Osmaston Road you used to have a whole range of pubs – the Mitre is one of the very last remaining ones now.
"It would be an awful shame to see it disappear and I would call for a pub, even if it is not the original Mitre building, to be included in the scheme."
Camra was originally set up to save real ale in the early 70s but now has a much broader remit, with vocal campaigns to help save pubs and also lower prices charged by pub companies and taxes on alcohol.
Mr Tubbs says the Derby branch wanted to see the city council do more to help pubs in the area.
He said: "The businesses in the city centre are doing well. But in the suburbs there have been real losses for the trade. Just on the stretch from the centre of city to my home there have been at least five closures and in Chaddesden, over a few years there have been around four.
"There have been instances where councils have taken on pubs when they have closed, helped to turn them round and then sold them on.
"This is something that we would be eager to talk to the council about and hopefully help pubs in the future."
Tesco told the Telegraph that a final decision has not been reached on the future of the Mitre pub.
A spokesman said: "We welcome any suggestions about the Mitre pub and we'd be happy to look at any options that are proposed."
And the city council were also positive in their reaction to the call by Camra for them to do more to help businesses, saying they recognised the "importance" of them.
Mr Rawson said: "The Labour administration recognises the importance of pubs as community hubs and will be very happy to talk to Camra and others about how we can best protect our local pubs as community assets."
