The future of Newport High Street could be determined next month – as planning chiefs run the rule over two discount supermarket applications.
Telford & Wrekin Council Planning Board is expected to look at the two separate applications side by side at its May 12 meeting.
Growing Enterprises wants to add a discount supermarket to Mere Park while Classic Developments hopes to do the same at Audley Avenue Retail Park. Both developers claim to have food giants Lidl ready to move in.
The Council will next month decide whether to give one application the green light or reject both. It is highly unlikely that both controversial schemes will be given the go ahead.
Mere Park applicant David Brierley said it was right that both applications should be considered at the same time.
He said: “It is essential to consider them together. Newport only really requires one discount supermarket, so they should look at both and from under Government guidance.
“From our point of view, we feel we’re substantially better than Audley Avenue.”
The Audley Avenue development was granted outline planning permission in August 2009 on the condition that goods that could be sold were restricted.
But Mr Brierley threatened to take the Council to Judicial Review, claiming the Council had acted unfairly and unlawfully in determining the Audley Avenue application before his own application, which had been submitted first.
As a result, the Council agreed to look at both proposals at the same time.
Indigo Planning, which is dealing with the Audley application on behalf of David Tringham of Classic Developments, said they remained hopeful of winning the long-winded tussle for power.
Spokeswoman Aoife Conacur said: “This brownfield site is within the urban area of Newport and has good linkages to the town centre and which will be further improved by a new bus link.
“The Mere Park site is located in the countryside on greenfield land adjacent to an existing garden centre.Government guidance is clear that development on greenfield land in the countryside should not be permitted where alternative brownfield sites are available.”
Both applicants confirmed that they would appeal if Telford & Wrekin rejected their proposals.
But Newport traders, town councillors and District Civic Society have been unanimous in their objection to the proposals, believing it would have a detrimental on the High Street.
This week, District Civic Society chairman Martin Elkes said: “We remain strongly of the view that any new retail, commercial, nursery school or affordable housing in Newport should be developed on town centre sites, rather than edge of town or out-of-town areas.”
By Sean Wozencroft