Newport Chamber will fight supermarket plans

Newport Chamber of Commerce today confirmed it would be objecting to plans for a new supermarket in the town.

Business leaders said they would be fighting the plans by Indigo Planning for a supermarket, cafe and car parking in Audley Avenue as it would hit trade in the town.

Now Patrick Beech, chamber chairman, urged people to get their objections in to Telford & Wrekin Council, which will make the final decision on the application.

The chamber has put forward a number of objections to the council.

It claims the proposed development would "undermine the fragile viability of the primary shopping area, most likely reducing footfall".

It adds: "The viability of many local businesses is already marginal and any reduction in trade could lead to a large number of closures with a consequential impact on other traders."

Mr Beech said they were not against having a supermarket in the town.

But he said: "We could do with a low-cost supermarket like Lidl or Aldi."

The chamber also claims the proposal contradicts a decision made less than 12 months ago by a planning inspector considering a similar application for a supermarket on the Mere Park site.

It said in making his decision, the inspector said that the town needed a discount food store but that it should be located within or as close as possible to the primary shopping area and not on the edge of town.

A second application by the same developers is asking for a wildlife and allotments area next to the supermarket.

Separate proposals have also been put to the public by Telford & Wrekin Council, Davidsons Development and St Modwen for a 50,000sq ft supermarket, business park, petrol station and 400 homes on land either side of Station Road.

A third proposal has also been mooted to build about 300 homes at the back of Newport's Moorfield School.

Telford & Wrekin Councillor Eric Carter has claimed the developments could lead to scores of empty shops.

MP Mark Pritchard has also spoken out against the size of the proposals.