MONMOUTH'S MP has given his 'full support' to Monmouthshire County Council's scheme to build a new livestock market at Bryngwyn.

In a letter to Welsh Assembly minister Carl Sargeant, MP David Davies said that the current Abergavenny cattle market site 'barely complies' with EU animal welfare regulations and would need a large cash injection if it was to remain in its current place.

He said, "This is money which neither the local authority nor anyone else has got."

Mr Davies admitted that reaction to the relocation of the facility around the town and the farming community was mixed.

"Residents near the site of the proposed new market at Bryngwyn are opposed to it being built in that location. I understand the reasons why and I personally think there is a wider argument here for automatically calling in any planning decisions made by local authorities in which they have a vested interest.

"Unfortunately, that is not currently the way in which planning law works," said Mr Davies.

He added that he had conducted a poll of local people and concluded, "Many Abergavenny residents like the idea of having a cattle market in the town and are not happy about the idea of more food stores.

"Others are happy with supermarkets in principle, but favour one supermarket over another.

"Some believe they are supporting farmers who wish to remain in Abergavenny and are unaware that many farmers actually want to have a new market.

"Although I cannot claim to have carried out an accurate poll, I am regularly in touch with the farming unions and with individual farmers and I would say the overwhelming majority support the idea of a new market.

"However, some have expressed concern about repealing the Abergavenny Improvement Acts because they are worried that if the Acts are amended too quickly then the council may sell the market site before building a new one.

"Of the non-farmers who have expressed an opinion, the overwhelming majority is against any change whatsoever.

"That said, I have spoken to thousands of people in Abergavenny at various elections and meetings and would say the overall majority have no strong feelings about the issue either way.

Mr Davies warned that if proceedings were delayed for any length of time an out of town store could be built, which could jeopardise the viability of the town centre.

He added,"If a supermarket is not built in Abergavenny, the relatively low amount of supermarket floor space currently in the town centre would make it more likely that an application for an out of town supermarket would succeed.

"Almost everyone agrees this would be a bad idea.

"It is also worth recognising the important additional 200 jobs that will be created by a new food store, which I understand would be ring fenced for local people through an agreement with the supermarket."

Mr Davies concluded that this is a very complex situation and added, "My own view is that the time has come to make a decision and move forward.

"The proposal to redevelop the cattle market site will release a great deal of money which can benefit residents in Monmouthshire and protect Abergavenny from another out of town store.

"The farming community would also benefit from a new market. I would therefore like to add my full support to Monmouthshire County Council's plans."