Market face-off (From Free Press Series)

Market face-off

ABERGAVENNY auctioneers have given a stark message to Monmouthshire County Council - build us a new livestock market on a prime site and we'll co-operate.

The council has unveiled its plans for the regeneration of Abergavenny town centre, with plans for a foodstore, new library and 31 flats on the existing cattle market, and have underlined their commitment towards a new market, which is more than likely to be built in Llanfoist.

The outline plans are expected to be considered by the county planning committee on April 6, and tenders have been invited from prospective developers.

But the Abergavenny Market Auctioneers company holds a long lease on the site, and that could hold up progress by two years, admits planning chief George Ashworth.

He told a packed public meeting in Abergavenny: "We don't want to go down the compulsory purchase road if we can achieve agreement through discussion and negotiation."

Keith Spencer, a spokesman for the auctioneers said: "We are very happy on our present site and have been for the past 150 years. We have no particular wish to move, but we accept there may be better uses for the site.

"We are very disappointed that we have got to this stage without plans for a new cattle market and we can't understand the delay."

And he warned: "If we are to move it has to be to a site where the cattle market has the best chance of surviving. The council's most important criteria seems to be what will happen to the land when it fails.

"We want it to succeed so put it in the optimum place where it will. If you do you'll have our support, if you don't, we won't support you."

Mr Ashworth said the council did not want to put all the money they gained from the sale of the cattle market into building a new one, but wanted to work in partnership with the farmers and auctioneers.

He said: "Some money will go towards the new library, some in the council coffers, and some to improve Market Street. Not all of the money should go towards a new livestock market, it could be a white elephant."

But he underlined the council's commitment to replacing the livestock market. "Newport market looks set to close, Ross is teetering and Monmouth has closed and we want to show our support for the agricultural community.

"We have looked at sites in Raglan and Llanfoist and the likelihood is somewhere near Abergavenny because there is a problem with the Raglan site."

The public meeting was called by Abergavenny Civic Society. More than 60 people attended. A full report is due next week.