More than 200 jobs could be lost at troubled supermarket chain Tesco after it announced plans to close one of its stores in Birmingham.

The company, which has hit the headlines recently over its high levels of debt, said it was looking to shut its supermarket at Five Ways Island in Edgbaston.

Tesco said it had taken the "very difficult decision" not to renew its lease on the supermarket in Broadway which opened in the 1970s.

The building is subject to separate redevelopment plans by property group Seven Capital which is planning to build around 250 apartments in the upper floors.

A Tesco spokesperson said: "Our priority is to do everything we can to find alternative roles within Tesco for as many affected colleagues as possible.

"We'll continue to serve customers through our local expresses, metro and superstores.

"All 225 colleagues have been informed they are at risk of redundancy. Wherever possible, we will offer colleagues alternative roles within Tesco."

The retailer has now launched a 45-day consultation programme with affected staff, with Usdaw union officials involved.

The store is one of Tesco's longest-established outlets in the West Midlands and was opened in 1977 but has faced competition from its own, larger store at nearby Spring Hill island, which opened in 2010, and the new Morrisons in Hagley Road, which opened in 2012.

Listed Tesco held its AGM last week at which finance director Alan Stewart said the business did not need to make an "immediate decision" about asset sales, despite sitting on a debt mountain of £22 billion.

Tesco is selling off its data business Dunnhumby and is also understood to have appointed HSBC to explore a sale of its South Korean arm.

Mr Stewart said Tesco, which has come under increasing pressure from cut-price competitors such as Aldi and Lidl, "won't be doing anything that is rushed" and "don't have to take an immediate decision".

The debt includes a £3.9 billion pension deficit, £9.4 billion of lease commitments and net debt excluding Tesco Bank of £8.5 billion.