Newport Town Council U-turn over new supermarket bid
Newport Town Council has performed a surprise U-turn by publicly backing a proposed supermarket in the town for the first time.
Councillors have been persistent in their objections to plans for a 33,000sq ft supermarket in Audley Avenue since it first came forward in May last year. They argued that a store on the former Classic Furniture site would harm the High Street and cause traffic problems.
But members of the town council's planning committee revisited the proposal on Wednesday night – and decided to support it ahead of a bid for a larger Sainsbury's at Station Road.
Councillor Adrian Meredith said: "The majority of people are against the Station Road application so our preference is going to be the brown field site at Audley Avenue. We should make that our official view."
The supermarket was given the go-ahead by a planning inspector but that decision was taken to the High Court by Telford & Wrekin Council.
The Station Road store, meanwhile, was passed by the local authority but was then called in to be decided by the secretary of state.
There is also a third bid for a Morrisons store at Mere Park Garden Centre which has also been taken to the High Court by Telford & Wrekin Council.
Councillor Rodney Pitt agreed the Audley Avenue proposal, put forward by Indigo Planning on behalf of landowner David Tringham, was the best option.
"We need another supermarket and that is more the size and nature of what is required rather than the humongous site in Station Road," he said.
Councillor Terry Spooner added: "Audley Avenue is the lesser of the two evils."
Councillors voted unanimously in favour of supporting the application.
But Save Newport Campaign Group's David Parker said: "We oppose all three edge-of-town retail proposals and would prefer a new low-cost supermarket on a brown field site in or near the centre of Newport."
