Plans for a new supermarket in Aberystwyth still remain up in the air after even more delays to the planning appeal.

The Welsh Government was due to hold a public inquiry in March last year to look into plans by Aldi to build a new supermarket on the derelict site of the former Kwik Save and Cambrian Garage along Park Avenue, but plans were cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic restrictions.

A planned date in November was then cancelled due to an administrative error, and the hearing was finally due to begin in early December, but was adjourned again until 5 January, when a part hearing took place.

Now the Planning Inspectorate for Wales has said the Inspector “is still awaiting further written submissions from the parties before the hearing can be formally closed”.

A spokesperson told the Cambrian News there is “no indication as to when” the report with a recommendation will be prepared and sent to the Welsh Government to make a final decision.

The planning application was called in by the Welsh Government over potential flooding concerns, but planning reports now indicate that even if the plans are refused, Aldi will go ahead with its scheme by using permission granted four years ago.

Permission was granted in 2011 for the demolition of the old Kwik Save building and garage on the site, along with the erection of an Aldi store and hotel.

Those plans were slightly amended in February 2016 and approved.

Ultimately Aldi decided not to move ahead with putting a hotel on site and applied for just a new store, but if the Welsh Government Planning Inspectorate decides to halt its latest plans, the company will “fall-back” on the original permission.

The report says that a letter from Aldi’s regional property director, Rob Jones, “confirms the business’ intention to move forward with the development of a store on site, even if as a result of this call-in, the current proposal were to be refused permission”.

“The buildings on site were demolished in spring 2016 thereby implementing the [original] permission,” the report adds.

“The permission is therefore still capable of being developed in accordance with the 2016 permission.”

The Planning Inspectorate called in the application after “reviewing the Flood Consequence Assessment prepared on behalf of the applicant”.

“It [the review] is considered not to fully address the relevant TAN 15 tests,” the inspectorate said.

Natural Resources Wales objected to the proposal and recommended it be refused.

The store, if it is approved, is expected to create 40 jobs and see a long-standing empty site used.

Aldi, which has owned the land for around 10 years, said it “received considerable local support for its proposed redevelopment of the Park Avenue site” during a consultation exercise, while dozens of letter of support for the development were received.

The plans were approved unanimously by Ceredigion council’s planning committee in June 2019.