A NEW car park on a greenfield area in Monmouth has been given the go-ahead, after years of planning.

Councillors on Monmouthshire County Council’s (MCC) planning committee voted in favour of building the 39-space car park in Wyebridge Street, off the A40, on Tuesday.

The committee voted 11 in favour of the plans and one against, after the application was recommended for approval by officers.

David Cummings, chairman of Monmouth and District Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said the group was “wholeheartedly” in support of the application.

“What is evident is that parking demand exceeds supply in that area of town,” said Mr Cummings, who has lobbied for the car park for more than a decade.

He said the car park would help businesses and help tackle parking problems in Monmouth.

Cllr Alan Wintle also spoke in support of the application, saying the car park was a “long-time coming,”while cllr Bob Hayward said the car park would boost the vitality of the top end of the town.

He said he supported the application, although he was disappointed that the car park did not have more spaces.

He urged councillors to pass the application, saying it was “vital” for the town.

The car park is expected to be built by September 1, 2017, the meeting heard.

Plans were originally drawn up for the car park following a report commissioned by Monmouthshire council, which identified a consistent demand for parking spaces in Monmouth and surrounding towns since 2009.

The report identified 526 parking spaces in Monmouth and said these were “often over-subscribed.”

Under the plans, the parking spaces will be “grasscrete” and there would be no net loss of trees on the site.

Two of the current eight trees would be felled, and these would be replaced with two pin oaks and one pear tree, under the application submitted by MCC.

The original plans included around 60-spaces, before being reduced to 44 and then 39.

Plans divided opinion, with some welcoming the opportunity of more parking, while others opposing the loss of open space.

Nine letters of support and nine letters of objection were submitted in response to the revised plans.

Objectors expressed concerns the car park would make traffic problems worse.

Some also said the car park would be underused due to it being in a “difficult” location to access.

But supporters said the car park would help bring visitors to the town, making it easier for all to visit including young people and the elderly.

The new car park has been designed to be in-keeping with surroundings, being situated in the Monmouth Conservation Area.