Building a new supermarket on the outskirts of Lampeter is ‘unjustified’ according to planners in Ceredigion.

The application for a new Lidl supermarket in Cwmann is outside Ceredigion’s boundary, sitting in Carmarthenshire, but Ceredigion County Council’s planning department has written to counterparts across the border, voicing their concern.

Lidl says the new store would bring 40 new jobs to the area and its plans were backed by 91 per cent of people who took part in a consultation last year.

Ceredigion planners also say the application is in the wrong location and if a supermarket should be built, it should be in Lampeter.

But they also say, Lampeter has two supermarkets already and doesn’t need another.

Ceredigion County Council rejected plans for an Aldi store in Lampeter in 2025 and in their objection, they point to a report prepared for them at the time that the planning department claim shows there is no need for another supermarket.

Ceredigion council say: “The Planning and Retail Statement (PRS) prepared by Reeves Retail Planning Consultancy, appointed as independent retail consultants, provides a far more comprehensive assessment of retail impacts across Ceredigion.

“Reeves’ analysis demonstrates that the applicant’s approach is incomplete, as it considers only the health of Lampeter town centre alongside Tregaron and Llanybydder despite identifying trade diversion from a number of other centres.

“The PRS highlights the following impacts: 9.6% on Costcutter and 9.4% on other convenience stores in Aberaeron, 9.3% on Costcutter in New Quay, 10.5% on Llandysul town centre, 3.7% on Aberystwyth town centre convenience stores, and 3.4% on Co-op and 5.3% on other businesses in Newcastle Emlyn.

“These levels of impact are significant. A trade diversion in the region of 9–10% could have a major and potentially severe effect on small convenience outlets.”

Ceredigion also say building a store in Cwmann could ‘create a more car dependent pattern of development’.

A retail assessment, conducted by Carney Sweeney, a planning consultant for Lidl, said earlier this year however that Sainsburys and Co-op were trading ‘substantially above company levels’.

This assessment added: “Residents currently undertake lengthy round trips, incurring time, cost, and environmental impacts.

"The proposed store will address this deficiency, materially reducing out-commuting, improving choice and affordability, and deliver wider social and economic benefits.

"Lampeter town centre is found to be healthy and diverse, with no evidence of fragility.”

Ceredigion County Council’s planning department concluded: “Locating a major convenience retail store in Cwmann directly undermines the strategic intention to consolidate growth within Lampeter.

“Furthermore, the most up to date retail evidence demonstrates that there is no quantitative need for additional convenience floorspace in Lampeter.

“As a result, the proposal is both in the wrong location in policy terms and unjustified in terms of identified retail need and raises serious concerns in respect of sustainable location and town centre first principles.”

Natural Resources Wales has also raised issues with the application, writing: “We have concerns with the application as submitted and further consideration is required regarding flood risk.”

The application will be considered by Carmarthenshire County Council’s planning committee at a later date.