THE SAGA of Abergavenny cattle market has taken a new turn with the news that an Oswestry-based company has been commissioned to design a new livestock market, with those behind the scheme citing their ' grave concerns' over the current plans as the catalyst for the proposal.

While wishing to remain anonymous 'at the moment' a source close to those behind the proposal said that it was driven by 'grave concerns' over the state of the current plans and a fear that the area could be left without a livestock market.

"We're simply putting forward an alternative" the Chronicle was told.

It's understood that uncertainty during an election year has also fuelled fears about the future of the livestock market.

The proposed site is located off the B4521 Ross Road, adjacent to the A465 Abergavenny to Hereford Road trunk road and is currently being used as a sawmill. Previously it has been used as site offices and storage facilities for various 'gas pipeline' projects across South Wales.

The proposal suggests that the 2.46 hectare site would be capable of handling 2,500 sheep and 575 cattle on land which has been identified as a potential waste management site as part of Monmouthshire's Local Development Plan.

It outlines plans for a penning area, a sale ring and an office building with a combined floor area of 3,950sq metres. A stockman's dwelling is also included in the scheme along with two acres of parking space.

The application comes just a fortnight after a public inquiry was held into MCC's bid to secure by compulsory purchase order, the shooting rights on local authority land at?Bryngwyn which is the location for the council's preferred site for a replacement livestock market for both Abergavenny and Monmouth.

Gavin Porritt of Oswestry-based Design and Planning Associates Limited said, "My client is well aware of the recent developments over the future of the current cattle market in Abergavenny and its intended replacement ten miles away.

"Our proposal is for a development that makes good use of a brown field site and the development has a lot of potential especially as the access off the main trunk road is very good."

When pressed Mr Porritt said that the identity of the potential developer was "confidential".

The registered owners of the land are Will Godfrey and Tessa Pike, acting as trustees on behalf of a Robert Price and Sons pension scheme.

As the controversy rumbles on it appears that another application could also be forthcoming in the near future, with suggestions that an Abergavenny Food Festival backed proposal could be on the cards.

These are in addition to the proposals for Bryngwyn and the bid recently sumbitted to Torfaen County Borough Council by Jack Hanbury-Tenison of Pontypool Park Estates which has put forward an alternative proposal for a livestock market development to be built at Mamhilad.

Councillor Bob Greenland, Monmouthshire County Council's deputy leader and cabinet member for modernisation, enterprise and communications said: "We have only just been made aware of a proposal to build a new livestock market on the edge of Abergavenny. Obviously any such plan would need to go through the planning process.

"Our initial response, however, is that the proposal doesn't meet one of our requirements for a new market to be in the centre of the county.

"This is because it has to serve not only the farmers close to Abergavenny, but also from the displaced Monmouth Market and the farmers from the south that previously used Newport market.

"We have also been informed that the layout is only 'a conceptual design'. It hasn't taken account of site topography, nor attempted to show any layout of the vehicle parking area.

"These aspects are important because although the notional site area may be large enough to accommodate a new livestock market, the shape of the site, together with the steepness of the access road could well prevent the site from being viable.

"In the meantime, we will continue with our plans to provide a 21st century livestock market near Raglan and redevelop the existing cattle market site to provide a supermarket and library to kick start the regeneration of Abergavenny."

Barry Greenwood, a member of Keep Abergavenny Livestock Market said he thought the scheme was a non-starter.

He said: "There is a difference in height of some 20 feet in the landscape that would need addressing before anything like a livestock market is built on the site.

However it is a good location because of the trunk road network, but I feel that that the railway bridge could hinder some of the monster livestock trucks.

"I don't see it as a serious application, especially as the layout has not been seriously considered. I am of the firm belief that this is some sort of spoiling application.".

Mr Porritt said this was a consultation exercise and that they were inviting feedback comments on the new proposal which can be sent to him at [email protected]">[email protected].