Edge-of-town store is better for Newport, says expert

Paul Hill, from RPS Planning and Development, said the Sainsbury's proposed for Station Road in Newport would be the most effective at attracting shoppers away from bigger out of town stores.

Mr Hill, who was called as a witness by St Modwen, the firm behind the Station Road plans, was being cross-examined by Nathalie Lieven, of Indigo Planning yesterday.

Indigo has announced plans to build a Morrisons supermarket on a brownfield site off Audley Avenue.

The Audley Avenue site is classed as brownfield – abandoned or former commercial land available for re-use – while the Station Road site is greenfield land, which is undeveloped land.

During the cross-examination, Miss Lieven brought up Telford & Wrekin Council's core strategy plan, which states that brownfield land should be built on before greenfield land.

Mr Hill said the wording of the core strategy suggested that could only happen if the brownfield site was more effective in keeping shoppers in the area.

He said of Audley Avenue: "I don't think it would be as effective because it would be a compromised store on a compromised site on a compromised location compared to the Station Road development.

"The Station Road site would be more effective at keeping shoppers in the town, rather than using out-of-town superstores."

Morrisons was one of the bidders for the Station Road site, but later moved its attention to Audley Avenue.

The inquiry, at the Park Inn Hotel in Telford, is in its second week.

It is due to finish next week, with members of the public having the chance to address the inquiry from 7pm on Tuesday.