D-day for market town retail park

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A decision is expected to be made on controversial proposals to redevelop part of Abergavenny's town centre.

Council officers are backing a scheme for a retail park on the old cattle market of the historic market town.

But the plans - a new Asda supermarket, more shops and big new car parks - have come in from strong criticism from a wide variety of organisations.

The council says it will mean £11m from the developers Henry Boot - money which will benefit the town.

A record 3,500 letters of objection have been sent to the local authority.

Existing traders say they will lose up to 33% of business

As well as residents and traders, the town council and the local chamber of trade are opposed to the redevelopment.

Wales's Design Commission has also been unusually critical, saying the scheme is unacceptable and should be radically overhauled.

Traders in the town have said they fear a loss of business because of the plans which also include a cinema, library, and apartments.

Monmouthshire Council has recommended plans by Henry Boot Developments be approved after amendments were made to earlier plans which were rejected by councillors.

In October, councillors rejected the plans, saying the development was too large, its design was not fitting for the town and that it would increase congestion.

But two weeks later, after the developers submitted amendments, recommendations to approve the plans were made to councillors.

This is not regeneration, it's degeneration James Joseph, Abergavenny Chamber of Trade

James Joseph, of Abergavenny Chamber of Trade, said: "It is completely unbelievable that Monmouthshire Council sees this huge development as part of a regeneration plan for Abergavenny, when it will inevitably wreck the flourishing high street.

"Residents and traders see the need for an in-town supermarket selling mainly food items but the excessive non-food retailing on this site will damage the viability of local shops, leading to the progressive collapse of the town.

"This is not regeneration, it's degeneration," he added.

Dr David Brancher, secretary of Sauce, a local campaign group, said he was "extremely concerned".

"Abergavenny is currently an attractive, historic, market town which is highly important to the regional tourist trade," he said.

There is a lot of support for this scheme in and around Abergavenny Richard Evans, developer's spokesman

"However, if it loses its independent shops, becomes congested with traffic and has a generic retail park as its centrepiece, Abergavenny will draw fewer visitors which will have a knock-on effect on many local businesses in a variety of sectors."

But the developers say that despite a mixture of opinions over the plans which were shown during a recent exhibition, there was support for the scheme.

"There is a lot of support for this scheme in and around Abergavenny," said spokesman Richard Evans.

"It was very encouraging for us.

"The results from the exhibition are not a Mori Poll but they do show there is a great deal of support in the local community for the scheme," he added.

Monmouthshire Council's planning committee will discuss the scheme at a meeting on Tuesday at 1400 GMT at County Hall, Cwmbran.