PLANS for a new discount food store in Caldicot are recommended for refusal at a Monmouthshire council planning meeting next Tuesday.

The plans for the shop, which also include another building about half the size of the store next to it, would be built on the Mitel building’s car park on the Castlegate Business Park.

Either Aldi or Lidl are expected to manage the supermarket, which would measure16,842 square feet, if the plan is passed.

The shop, which would employ up to 15 full-time and 25 part-time staff, would be open between 8am and 9pm Monday to Saturday and would open from 10am to 5pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Monmouthshire council planning officers have recommended the plan is refused because it fails to meet the criteria of the county’s local development plan and that it would be built outside the town’s central shopping area.

Caldicot’s town team and town council have also both recommended that the plan is rejected.

The town council said the buildings would have inadequate parking and pedestrian access and that it is contrary to Monmouthshire council policy to build out of town developments.

But Portskewett community council said they were in favour of the development but said they had concerns over the pedestrian access close to the store.

There were six representations from residents. One was opposed to the plan and the possibility of Monmouthshire building out of town shopping areas, and the other five were in favour.

Those people wrote in favour of increased choice in the town and that it could pull in trade from Magor and Undy who might travel to Newport to do their shopping.

The communications company Mitel, which has been based in Caldicot since 1981, said they have frozen all investment in the town until the application is resolved. They said they consider the prospect of retail units to be “highly damaging” and that “substantial disruption” would be caused to the character and the appearance of their site.

Mitel sold their site to Robert Hitchins Limited in 2005 and leased back the space for their headquarters. It currently employs240 people in Caldicot and about 50 customers, partners and employees visit their base every day.