Newport supermarkets row is set to rumble on

Sainsbury's has confirmed it still wants to open a superstore on the outskirts of the town, despite competition from both Aldi and Lidl.

Sainsbury's has been at the centre of long-running battle to build a store on fields owned by Telford & Wrekin Council at Station Road.

Last Wednesday the authority, which stands to gain £21 million in land sales if Sainsbury's goes ahead, granted Aldi permission to open on the former Focus DIY site at Audley Avenue – near to where Morrison's planned to open a branch.

An application from Lidl to build a store at Mere Park was refused – but the German firm says it will open anyway in an existing building at the retail site.

Today Sainsbury's confirmed that it is still hopeful of building a store in Newport.

A spokesman for the retail giant said today: "The decision on July 16 does not change our plans."

A three-week public inquiry into plans for the 50,000 sq ft Sainsbury's off Station Road took place in January and February last year.

It was nearing completion when inspector Trevor Cookson died suddenly and it was decided that the inquiry had to begin again from scratch.

Russell Griffin, spokesman for Telford & Wrekin Council, said: "The planning application for a supermarket at Station Road, Newport, submitted by St Modwen Developments remains undetermined.

"The application was called in by the Secretary of State and will be determined by him following a further public inquiry, which is currently scheduled for January 2015."

In February last year Morrisons announced that it had exchanged contracts to build a supermarket on a site on Audley Avenue after it was given permission following another lengthy legal battle. The plan was given the green light by a planning inspector, but Telford & Wrekin Council then challenged the go-ahead twice – once in the High Court and once in the Court of Appeal.

On both occasions the local authority lost.

But since then Morrisons, which originally planned to have the store open this year, has said it is reviewing it plans.

Supermarket giant Aldi hopes to open in Newport by next spring. The company will demolish the Focus DIY building to build the new store.

Discount supermarket Lidl is also coming to Newport, despite its application for a new store being turned down.