PLANS are to be revealed this week on the changes to the Dixton Road development which caused so much debate in 2014 when the original plans included a McDonald’s burger restaurant.

In February 2015, the town council unanimously refused to recommend planning permission following an application by Avenbury Ventures for a retail site, to include a Marstons family restaurant, a drive-through Costa Coffee, a McDonald’s restaurant and a Pets at Home retail unit and veterinary surgery with a total of 91 parking spaces to service the site.

The Beacon understands that the revised plan now proposes a Marston pub and two retail units of 7,200 and 6,400 sq ft with 90 retail car park spaces.

A pressure group called Gateway to Wales Action Group was formed and claimed it was “blatant overdevelopment” of the site.

The chairman of the action group pointed out to developers in a public meeting in 2015 that there was huge public opposition to the development.

In February 2015, the original application was recommended for refusal on the grounds of the following: overdevelopment; that the out of town development is contrary to the Local Development Plan; that pedestrian access is unsafe; that the fast food restaurant is too close to a school; A40 access is dangerous; the proposal will harm the vitality of the town; the development is not needed; there is risk of flooding on the site; not enough parking and that it will destroy the ‘distinctive character’ of the town.

The original plan, DC/2013/01071 is still listed as current on Monmouthshire County Council’s planning portal.