PLANS to build a long-awaited Morrisons supermarket at a vacant site in Abergavenny have been passed by Monmouthshire County Council’s planning committee.

Members voted ten to one in favour of the application, some two years after the branch was originally planned to be opened and more than a decade after the supermarket scheme was first announced in 2004.

The new development at the site of the former Cattle Market on Lion Street is expected to employ 240 full time and 40 part-time employees.

The lease for the supermarket had been signed by the county council in September, with chief executive aiming for the Morrisons store to be open in time for Christmas 2017.

Abergavenny councillor John Prosser revealed that nine out of 10 town councillors had voted for the "long-standing" application to be approved.

Abergavenny's mayor, Councillor Chris Woodhouse added: “In this 12 or so years, each year £20 million of Abergavenny money has been spent out of town in Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale, Tredegar, and Hereford.

“It is money that has been lost to Abergavenny and it has had an effect on people not having local jobs.”

Cllr Woodhouse also requested that the blank boundary walls be repainted with a mural reflecting the town’s heritage, referencing the food and cycling festivals as well as double Olympic silver medallist Becky James.

He added: “It will bring a personal belonging to the people of Abergavenny.”

In the several years since its initial announcement, the scheme has attracted opposition from another Abergavenny councillor, Doug Edwards.

Community groups such as the Abergavenny and District Civic Society, Abergavenny Transition Towns and the town’s Development Forum also objected to the application.

Issues flagged up by concerned parties included the store “poor location”, architectural design and its materials, increased traffic along the A40 and the inclusion of a café in the store, which drew public objection in an application in 2011.

With Morrisons being the fourth supermarket chain to have a store in the town, concerns were also raised regarding the potential decrease in the use of local producers on the high street.

Despite opposition, councillor David Dovey described the day of the decision as a “big day for Monmouthshire and Abergavenny.”

The Chepstow councillor said: “This is a decision of major importance by the retailer, this is the only investment they’re going to make in the UK in this 12 month period.

“This is a major retail in just about the most competitive market in this country, or Europe and they’ve chosen to invest in Abergavenny and Monmouthshire and that is a really good accolade to say at this time.”