WORK is set to get under way shortly on the construction of a new supermarket on the outskirts of Monmouth, it has been revealed. However, hopes that a large hotel would be built a short distance from the new Monnow Bridge have been dealt a blow, The Beacon has been told. With the Ryder Cup coming to the area in the next couple of years, traders leaders in Monmouth had hoped that a new, much needed hotel would be built on the portal road site, close to the dual carriageway and the tunnels. It had even been suggested that Monmouthshire County Council, the owners of the site, were considering imposing a condition on the sale, restricting the future use to a hotel. This would have prevented a supermarket or fast food outlet being constructed on the land. However, in a statement this week, the County Council seemed to clear the way for other uses for the land. The statement said: "At present the Council are looking to sell the Portal Road site, although the site is not being marketed for sale at present. The use the site will be put to is yet to be decided. "We are currently working with our agent, public facing officers at our one stop shop and planners in relation to this. One of the uses that we are considering for the site is a hotel, however other alternatives are also being investigated. "No planning permission has been applied for. The site will be sold via the tender process hopefully by the end of this year". The Beacon has been told that at least three large national concerns have shown an interest in the portal road site. Work will get under within a few weeks on the building of a Lidl supermarket, on the site of the former County Garage, in Redbrook Road, Monmouth. It appears the work on the site will be completed in early November.. Traders in the town believe there is an urgent need for a new, large hotel, and David Cummings, Chairman of Monmouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce, commented "There is overwhelming evidence of the need for a new hotel in Monmouth. Data from the Accommodation Bed Stock Survey 2004 compiled by Adventa indicates that Monmouth area has 242 fewer beds than Chepstow and 395 less than Abergavenny. "Using these figures in conjunction with the County report of visitor spending of 2006, indicates that each existing serviced accommodation bed in the county creates income for the local area of £16,896 on an annualised basis. "The Chamber in November 2006 held meetings with MCC Estates and Asset Management in conjunction with a hotel developer with local interests for the construction of a 60 bedroom hotel. This proposal would include up to 12 coach parking spaces, which we understand are required to fulfil the Shire Hall re-development proposals and the needs of the new Welcome Centre, as well helping to resolve the current difficulties created by the parking of coaches in Blestium Street. "The Chamber is pleased to learn that both MCC Planning Office and MCC Economic Development departments support the use of the site for a hotel. The impression was gained at the November meeting that MCC did not have to accept the highest bid for the site as other relevant factors would be taken into account. It is indeed difficult to refute the logic of using the site to create wealth for the town of £1 million plus, which a 60 bedroom hotel would create. "We are concerned that the site will be put up for public tender for other uses such as food and non- food retail as well as for hotel use. This will attract national businesses in direct competition with those already existing in the town centre and will have a negative impact on those businesses. "Once the tender is issued the Chamber will take steps to lobby all businesses in Monmouth to support the building of a hotel on the site and will provide a webpage where expressions of support can be logged, to present at a later date to MCC. The Portal Road site, designated for commercial development, is a strategic asset of the town and should be used for the best commercial advantage of the town. Bounded by two rivers and a poorly sited dual carriageway, Monmouth does not possess, close to town, another suitable site for a hotel development"
