RESIDENTS in the Maesglas and Gaer areas of Newport are being asked for their opinions on proposals for supermarket chain Lidl to build a store on the site of the South Wales Argus offices.

The Argus revealed earlier this month that Lidl has submitted plans for a new store on the site - at the corner of Cardiff Road and Bideford Road.

The application also involves the neighbouring site, run by DX Freight.

The Gaer ward's three councillors - Stephen Marshall, Mark Whitcutt and Debbie Wilcox - have written to residents to appraise them of the proposal, and to ask them to submit their views on it.

"We are sure that there will be a variety of opinions from residents, but we are looking to gather as many views as possible," they write.

The plan proposes that buildings on the Argus and DX Freight sites will be demolished, and a single, 0.97 hectare (2.39 acres) site will be created.

The plan submitted to Newport City Council by Lidl proposes a 2,122 sq ft supermarket building on the portion of the site currently occupied by the Argus.

The DX Freight site would be used to create a 140-space car park, six of which would be for disabled customers, and eight for parents with young children.

Access to the site would be via an entrance off Cardiff Road, in almost the same place as the existing entrance to the DX Freight site.

The entrance to the store itself is planned for the north side of the site, closest to Cardiff Road.

The South Wales Argus aims to return to the city centre, subject to the outcome of the planning application, though a location has not yet been finalised.

The new supermarket would replace the existing Lidl store in Docks Way, and would include an in-store bakery, customer toilets and bicycle parking.

The company says that the proposal adds up to a multi-million pound investment in the area, which will result in the creation of jobs.

Anyone wishing to contact the Gaer ward councillors with their views may do so via e-mail - stephen.marshall@ newport.gov.uk or mark.whitcutt@newport.gov.uk or debbie.wilcox@newport.gov.uk - or via the Facebook page @GaerandMaesglas3