CARDIGAN town councillors have confirmed their opposition to plans to bring Home Bargains to the town, saying they wish to ‘protect the community from large superstores invading our area and destroying our town centre’.

Although some members believe such a supermarket would be of benefit, the authority’s planning committee voted to object to the planning application by T J Morris Ltd on land at Rhodfa’r Felin.

In reaching their decision, they pointed out the area was ‘historically prone’ to flooding issues and that a drainage plan was needed to ensure the River Mwldan never exceeded capacity and endangered Lower Mwldan properties.

They also expressed concern at a potential increase in road traffic and pollution due to goods being transported from distribution centres in Liverpool and Amesbury, Wiltshire.

“These vehicles will be travelling throughout the day, late into the evening, on already unsuitable heavily-congested roads,” stated their report.

Councillors also say the site to be developed is in close proximity to two housing estates and that such a superstore would have a negative impact on several local businesses, causing ‘an oversupply and duplication of goods to our area’.

They also posed the question how much of the predicted retail turnover of £11.4 million would be re-invested in Cardigan and how much would return to the business base in England?

“Councillors are proud of our town centre and the independent businesses that thrive there - we wish to support and protect the community from large superstores invading our area and in turn destroying our town centre,” they added.

Opposition to the store has been led by Cllr Shan Williams who claimed such a development would provide ‘unfair opposition’ to small local businesses.

Her colleague Cllr Sian Maehrlein took the opposite view, maintaining the store would create much-needed jobs.

And Julian Beynon-Lewis, CEO of Menter Aberteifi as well as acting chairman of Cardigan Traders, subsequently entered the debate, arguing that opponents to the scheme were overlooking potential spin-off benefits of the planned scheme, including abundant free parking along with a potential rise in footfall in the town.