I think that if you scratch a little (only a little) beneath the surface you will find that Kirkland Developments has gone to comparatively little expense in pursuit of this application. If they were to pull out to-morrow they will have lost little more than the price of the planning application -and SMBC will probably reimburse them for that.
If my understanding of the situation is correct then the deadline for ASDA's appeal submission has passed. I would expect soon to see some planning activity on Hibbert Lane and also to hear that Kirkland have ceased to be interested in the TS site.