A £50MILLION plan to build a supermarket, homes, a care village and a business park, which together could create 1,000 jobs, has been unveiled for Abergavenny.

One part of the development, called Gavenny Gate, could see a £25million flagship Morrisons supermarket built on the former Coopers Filters site opposite the existing Waitrose at Llanfoist.

A business park with amenities, which could lead to the creation of several hundred jobs, is also on the drawing board.

The schemes are being brought forward and developed by the well established South Wales-based firm Johnsey Estates.

Johnsey Estates are in detailed discussions with supermarket giants Morrisons over the establishment of a 78,000 sq ft store.

The supermarket would take some four to five acres, the 160-house development a further seven to eight acres and a proposed care village, to the east of the site, five acres. The remainder of the 22 acre Gavenny Gate site would be taken by infrastructure and landscaping.

Johnsey Estates Managing Director, Mr Terry Johnsey, said, "Gavenny Gate is an extremely exciting plan for Abergavenny which will deliver the greater shopping variety and choice the people of the town deserve. Currently some forty per cent of people travel out of Abergavenny, to places such as Ebbw Vale and Brynmawr, to do their shopping. We are therefore delighted to be in detailed negotiations with Morrisons for the retailer to bring one of their flagship stores to Abergavenny.

"We firmly believe that this development will help to reverse Abergavenny's shopping exodus as well as benefit and complement the town through the creation of some 1,000 new jobs. The supermarket alone will lead to the creation of 300-350 jobs and some 200 will be employed during the building phase."

Robert Carew-Chaston, of Hutchings & Thomas, acts for Johnsey Estates and is marketing the site. Welcoming the news he said, "Gavenny Gate is an innovative and ground breaking development which will serve to reinvigorate this part of the town.

"The location of the supermarket could hardly be better right on the recently improved A465 Heads of the Valley road and close to the heart of the town.

"The development site already has detailed consent for non food retail and, subject to planning and final agreement we're confident Abergavenny's new Morrisons supermarket could be built, open and trading within a year leading directly to the creation of 100s of new jobs for local people."

Johnsey Estates have appointed a design and development team to bring this scheme forward, including Abergavenny consultants, Williamson Associates Ltd. and Cardiff-based the Nicholson Jones Partnership.

Johnsey Estates will be submitting an application for planning consent for Gavenny Gate to Monmouthshire County Council with the next two weeks.