THE KEEP Abergavenny Livestock Market campaigners have been refused leave to appeal against the two Judicial Reviews aimed at keeping the 150-year-old market in the centre of town.

Earlier this month a High Court judge rejected the protesters' claims that Monmouthshire County Council had acted unlawfully in granting planning permission for a supermarket on the site of the livestock market and that Welsh ministers' decision to repeal the Abergavenny Improvement Acts had not been in the best interests of the town.

In her judgement of Thursday, November 15, Mrs Justice Nicola Davies said, "This was an attempt to reargue various grounds which had been dealt with in the original judgement.

"The judgement contained the reasons for rejecting the claimant's submission. The grounds submitted have no reasonable prospect of success."

Councillor Bob Greenland, Monmouthshire County Council's Deputy Leader, said: "We're not surprised, that KALM has been refused leave to appeal the outcome of their two recent Judicial Reviews, which upheld decisions made by ourselves and the Welsh Government.  

"I dread to think how much public money they have spent in achieving nothing through this expensive legal process. I am aware that they could now lodge an appeal with the Court of Appeal. Even at this late stage, I would urge them not to do this and instead accept the decisions made in the open by democratically accountable bodies."

Councillor Greenland added that as an authority the council needed to be clear that the authority's plans for the regeneration of Abergavenny are backed by extensive studies.

He said all of them were lodged as evidence in the Judicial Review process and have been seen by KALM.  

"The decision to allow construction of a new supermarket was made by democratically elected councillors. The decision to commence the entire project was made not once but twice by meetings of the County Council, held in the open - at the latter of which KALM presented evidence. KALM challenging decisions that they don't like doesn't change those facts."

A KALM source has however indicated that the pressure group is likely to appeal against the latest decision and that a formal statement will be issued next week.

•Monmouthshire County Council decided in July 2000 to close both Monmouth and Abergavenny cattle markets at a specially convened planning meeting. The committee made a recommendation to full council that it was no longer economically viable to operate either of them and were to investigate an alternative site, with Raglan chosen as the preferred location. This recommendation was ratified by the full Labour controlled council the following day.

Monmouth's livestock market was closed in April 2003 and the council's cabinet resolved to promote the cattle market site in Abergavenny as the preferred location for a supermarket development in the town.