A BREWER has temporarily withdrawn his bid to build a 96 sq m fruit store to brew a new speciality beer.

Plans submitted by Tom Newman of Usk-based Lines Brew Co for a three-acre fruit farm near Gwehelog Common have run into some opposition from neighbours.

And he has now withdrawn the plan with the intention of resubmitting it to include a light industry use of processing the fruit, after advice from planning officers.

Mr Newman has been backed by local MP David Davies and the county council’s rural enterprise officer.

A planning application was recommended for approval by Monmouthshire Council planners, but councillors deferred a decision last month amid concerns about waste management, the size of the building and hard standing, and the potential for bringing fruit onto the site.

The application said fruit from the surrounding orchard would be crushed and stored and blended in 3.5m-high tanks, while the brewing will take place elsewhere.

Solar panels were proposed for the roof of the ‘carbon negative’ building, and rain harvesting.

Thirteen residents lodged objections about the grassland plan, while councillors on Gwehelog Community Council also raised concerns, saying the building was “of an inappropriate size in proportion to the size of the site”.

Usk Civic Society also objected, saying the application was “lacking in candour about the intended use of the building”.

“Its size and design is not in proportion with the yield of the small orchard which it is intended to serve,” it said.

But Monmouthshire Council’s rural programmes procurements officer Mark Lloyd said the project had “the makings of an exemplar sustainable rural enterprise”.

And Monmouth MP David Davies added: “It is my understanding that Mr Newman is a committed brewer of beer… I would very much hope it is looked at positively.”