THE ABERGAVENNY Development Forum has accused MCC of giving the green light for the destruction of the Cattle Market's abattoir complex when there remains a 'genuine risk' that their deal with Morrisons to build a supermarket on the site could collapse.

David Haswell, speaking on behalf of Abergavenny Development Forum at Bryn y Cwm Area committee said, "For some three years the Abergavenny Development Forum has been seeking information about the tenders received for the redevelopment of the Cattle Market.

"In their latest refusal to supply details Momouthshire County Council's officers claim that 'agreements are yet to be finalised, so there remains a technical possibility that there will be a need to retender the job.

"This is an alarming admission of the risk to which the council appears to be exposed."

Mr Haswell asked the members of the Bryn y Cwm Area committee for if they though there was a genuine risk that the development could collapse to the point of requiring a retender?

He also questioned why the County Council would enter into a contract to demolish the abattoir complex if a contract had not been finalised?

Members declined the suggestion to debate the issue but a spokesman for Monmouthshire said this week: "Before the contract with Morrisons can be finalised, the authority has to be in a position to offer vacant possession of the site in Abergavenny.

"That cannot happen until the replacement market is ready as it will be later this year. Now that the legal challenges have been removed there is little likelihood that the Council will not be in a position to offer vacant possession but it remains a technical possibility and until vacant possession has been given, the contract remains conditional and cannot be put into the public domain.

"This is a standard legal process and one you would expect to see in developments of this scale."