AMBITIOUS plans to revitalise Chepstow town centre (pictured) are being welcomed by traders.

The proposals aim to bring more visitors and shops to the town - and cut back the number of vehicles in the centre.

Monmouthshire county council has already committed £85,000 to be spent on enhancing the town centre, and a town improvement grant is being sought from the Welsh Development Agency.

The new plans, received by the Chepstow Regeneration Working Group from consultants and officers from Monmouthshire county council, will be considered at a special meeting of the Lower Wye Area Committee on Wednesday.

Among the schemes is a plan that Bank Street could have restricted access for traffic so more public space can be created - in line with suggestions from the Chepstow Regeneration Working Group.

Local councillor Gwyn Eburne said the enhancement plan would not involve pedestrianisation or the demolition of buildings which are listed.

He said: "What we are trying to do is create more space for pedestrians and the public and trying to reduce traffic congestion.

"But we are limited to what we can do. We are not pedestrianising.

"We are hoping the scheme will attract more shops. If we improve the environment then we hope retailers will be interested in the town.

"I think this is exciting. This is the furthest we have got to getting a decent scheme for the centre of Chepstow."

Andrew Griffiths, chief executive of the town's Herbert Lewis department store and president of Chepstow Chamber of Commerce said although he had not yet seen the proposals for developing the town centre, as far as his members were concerned the town should be a place where convenience shopping should be provided.

He said: "There's quite a lot of traffic build up at rush- hour and that has to be managed to make sure we don't upset the balance and make it difficult to get in and out."

But he said excluding traffic from the area would be a step too far.

"It's such a small town that pedestrianisation is a sledgehammer to crack a nut. People come to Chepstow for convenience shopping."