WORK is finally due to begin on a new site for a popular discount supermarket with the demolition of a former bus depot.

Construction on Cwmbran's new Lidl is due to begin in the next few weeks. The site was a former Stagecoach bus depot and will provide a bigger supermarket for residents to use.

The current Lidl in Cwmbran in Woodside Road will close and relocate to the new site in St David’s Road.

The planning application was submitted by WYG Planning and Environment on behalf of Lidl and Stagecoach in a joint submission.

The decision was approved in March 2021, with a number of conditions in place following the original refusal of the application in 2019 over concerns of the potential development being “detrimental to highway safety”.

The resubmission includes a proposal for a new Stagecoach bus depot on a vacant part of the site following the former depot’s demolition.

One of the conditions in place during approval is that the construction will begin “not later than five years from the date of this decision” after a long appeal process was caused by the decision by the council to refuse the original application.

As part of the development, associated car parking, service areas and landscaping arrangements will also be included, along with relevant safety assessments.

The design and access statement, compiled by One Design Architectural Services Limited, details the full proposed plans for the new, larger site, which will “serve the established customer base” in Cwmbran.

There are plans for 125 car parking spaces, for both customers and staff, as well as secure on-site cycle parking.

Following the original refusal, the statement also considers the safety of customers when moving from the car park to the store entrance and will provide “new vehicular access from St David’s Road into the site” to ensure a level of highway safety when entering the new site’s boundaries.

The new bus depot will include space for nine buses, a Stagecoach office, an automatic chassis wash facility and parking spaces for customers and staff.

It has not yet been confirmed when the new store will open, but it is expected that Lidl will be recruiting staff in the near future.

If you wish to view the full application and associated documents, you can do so by visiting the Torfaen Council Planning Portal and entering the reference 21/P/0012/FUL.