THE supermarket giant Morrisons has yet to pay Monmouthshire council more than £15million for the former Abergavenny Livestock Market site.

The county council has confirmed to the Argus that Morrisons, which was granted planning permission in 2011 to build a 25,000 square foot store on the site, has paid a £1,675,000 deposit to the county council for the land but does not have to pay the remaining £15,075,000 balance until the store is built.

Morrisons was chosen as the preferred developer to build a multi-million scheme on the site as part of the re-development of the livestock market, following the collapse of an £11million deal by Henry Boot Ltd to bring Asda to the town in 2010.

The store will sell only a very modest non-food range and include a café, 269 parking spaces and create 280 new jobs. The council signed a legal agreement with Morrisons last year but held onto a small portion of the site to build a new library. Morrisons will spend £350,000 on improvements in the town centre as part of the scheme to redevelop the livestock market.

The Livestock Market held its last sale in December after more than 150 years in the town and was re-located to a new £5million market at Bryngwyn, near Raglan.

Work to clear the site in preparation for the £16,750,000 scheme began in March when the market and slaughterhouse buildings were demolished. Morrisons has not yet given a date for construction to start but the delay is believed to be due to the company working to resolve highways issues with the Welsh Government.

Morrisons development executive, Robin Langford previously said Morrisons received official notice of vacant possession from the council in July and remains committed to building the store but that the scheme is complex and takes time to deliver.

He blamed the delay on dealing with matters stipulated by the county council under the terms of the purchase contract, which includes highways design.

County Councillor Bob Greenland, cabinet member for innovation, enterprise and leisure, said: “The Morrisons chain has paid a deposit of £1,675,000. The balance due on the sale of the site, totalling £15,075,000, is payable when practical completion of the store is achieved.”

The Argus contacted Morrisons but did not receive a response at the time of going to print.