THE Morrisons' scheme for Abergavenny Cattle Market is expected to come before the county planning committee next Tuesday (June 14). 

A report produced by the Keep Abergavenny Livestock Market (KALM) campaign group, sent to all planning committee members, warns that the enormity of the planning committee's decision means there is no turning back, saying: "The future of Abergavenny and everything which flows from its market town status rests with their decision."

 The report also suggests that trading at the present Abergavenny Livestock Market is 'buoyant and competitive' despite the dilapidated equipment and poor layout on just two thirds of the site. They group says that with the demise of other South Wales livestock markets in recent years, farmers from a wider area are now travelling to the market in Abergavenny to sell their animals. It adds that local people have been presented with a situation of either a livestock market or a supermarket. "The option of having both, and how that might be achieved, has never been properly explored. Should it be?"

The 12 page report also questions whether the development of the site with a supermarket would hinder the ability to capitalise on the town's historic roots in livestock trading.

 The campaigners suggest that modernising the site could be achieved for less money than the new replacement market proposed for Bryngwyn. They have produced a set of alternative plans with an attractive frontage in Lion Street that could help fund the renovation of the market site.

Members of the working group are founder Jenny Long, Barry Greenwood, Ann Powell, Alvin Dykes, Anna Petts, Barbara Willis, Ken Adams, Mary Whistance, Jayne Greenwood, Rosemary Webb and Mick Petts.

 Figures obtained by the campaigners suggest that many retailers and traders are reporting a noticeable increase in business on Wednesdays since the Newport farmers starting coming to Abergavenny, "Confirming that farmers bring business to the town."

 The report rejects Monmouthshire County Council's suggestion that a supermarket on the site would regenerate the town. Said one of the working group, Barry Greenwood, "Shoppers, who having done their big trolley shop in the supermarket, are unlikely to then flock into the town centre in sufficient numbers to have a regenerative effect. Their numbers will be exceeded by shoppers who currently spend money in the town centre, but who will be wooed to shop in the supermarket instead, especially with the proposed parking arrangements being highly favourable to the store."

 The report acknowledges that 'supermarkets do indeed bring jobs' but points out that these are largely low-paid and part-time. KALM believe that over time the supermarket will squeeze 250 jobs from the town centre. "With Abergavenny's bias towards smaller retail businesses this loss of jobs would equate to several dozen closed businesses."

 The traffic issue is also highlighted in the report: "The site is on the main route to West Wales and the number of traffic movements generated by a supermarket trading seven days a week will be greater than the traffic movement currently generated by the livestock market. The considerable increase in traffic volume has simply not been addressed."