Supermarket chain Lidl says it is ‘extremely disappointed’ that plans to build a new store near Lampeter have been rejected and didn’t even go before a planning committee.

Planning officers at Carmarthenshire County Council rejected the application for a new store in Cwmann last week, saying it would 'have detrimental consequences for the vitality, viability and retail function of Lampeter town centre'.

Lidl said 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 before plans were submitted.

In his decision notice, Rhodri Griffiths, Head of Place and Sustainability at Carmarthenshire council said: "The economic benefits of the proposal, including job creation, investment and increased retail choice, are not considered sufficient to outweigh the identified conflict with retail and town centre planning policy, the likely harmful impact on the role and function of Lampeter as a key service centre, the lack of a strong qualitative need for the proposal and a quantitative need case which is heavily reliance upon the trading performance of a single existing store in Lampeter Town Centre."

Reacting to the refusal, Rhydian Griffiths, Regional Head of Property, Lidl GB said: "We are extremely disappointed that our planning application for a new store serving Cwmann and Lampeter was refused under the planning officer’s delegated powers.

“Given the significant level of community interest in our plans, we firmly believe this major application should have been referred to the Planning Committee for a decision made by elected councillors.

“We want to thank everybody who participated in the community consultation and the many local people who supported our plans.

“We are carefully considering our next steps and will provide an update in due course.”

Ceredigion County Council objected to the plans, saying the application was ‘unjustified’, in the wrong location and if a supermarket should be built, it should be in Lampeter.

But the council also said Lampeter has two supermarkets already and doesn’t need another.

This is the second supermarket application for the Lampeter area to be refused with plans for an Aldi turned down by Ceredigion council last year, on the grounds that a discount supermarket would encourage shoppers away from Aberaeron, New Quay, Llandysul and Newcastle Emlyn.

The two existing supermarkets in Lampeter, the Co-operative and Sainsbury’s also objected to the plans, saying there is no need for another supermarket in the area.

The plans were however widely supported by the local community.

Pencarreg Community Council has supported the scheme saying councillors “are 100 per cent behind this project.”

“The village of Cwmann used to have three grocery shops, a post office, and a fuel station garage at one time and now we have nothing.

“With being a competitive priced superstore it would give the residents of Cwmann, Lampeter and the surrounding rural area a much needed retailer which will give us goods at prices that we can afford.

“It will give us in the locality job prospects which are very badly needed.”