A NEW supermarket for Caldicot is a step close after a retail giant and local council signed a legal agreement over its site.

Monmouthshire County Council has announced an exchange of contracts with retail chain Asda for the sale of four acres of land at Woodstock Way, Caldicot for the development of a new supermarket.

Deputy Leader of Monmouthshire County Council and Cabinet Member responsible for regeneration, Cllr Bob Greenland, said: “This fulfils a long standing promise that we made to the people of Caldicot to provide a new supermarket within Caldicot to enhance the existing town centre offer and act as an anchor for the much needed regeneration of the town centre.

“Caldicot’s retailers have suffered over the past few years through lost trade and we want to encourage the residents of Caldicot to return to their town through the provision of this new store.”

Now that the legal process has been completed, Asda is in the process of finalising its design and will submit a planning application shortly.

In preparation for the supermarket, work will shortly commence on the site to re-locate a sewage pipe and fibre optic cable.

The work is expected to last approximately 12 weeks and may result in some local disruption.

Cllr Greenland added: ““As we promised, the money raised from the sale of this site will be ring fenced towards the funding needed to provide Caldicot with a new aspirational comprehensive school as well as funding improvements to the town centre environment and a new 3G all-weather synthetic sports pitch for the school and leisure centre users.”

Communications Manager for Asda, Oliver Jones, said: “We’re really excited that our plans to bring our famous low prices to Caldicot are now one step closer. Being at the heart of the local community is really important to Asda and we look forward to getting to know the local community in the months ahead.”

As previously reported, Monmouthshire council said as part of the deal, a limit has been placed on items Asda can sell to protect local retailers.

Only around 20% of the floor space can be used for the sale of comparison goods, such as home furnishings and electrical items.

Asda will also be prohibited from having a pharmacy, opticians, travel agency, post office counter facilities, dry cleaning and photographic services.