An impact assessement into plans to build a new Lidl supermarket on the outskirts of Lampeter has found that it would not have a negative impact on the town centre, despite competing supermarkets saying there is no need for another store.

The German supermarket chain Lidl submitted an application earlier this year to build a store on the Carmarthenshire side of the boundary near Cwmann on Carmarthen Road.

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.

The application is still being considered, and a final retail impact assessment prepared for the scheme said it found “no evidence to indicate the proposal would give rise to an unacceptable impact on the vitality and viability of nearby centres, with particular regard to Lampeter centre.”

Established Lampeter supermarkets, Sainsbury’s and the Co-operative, both lodged official objections to Lidl’s scheme, saying there is no need for another supermarket in the area.

Sainsbury’s said “there is no qualitative or quantitative need for the Lidl food store”, after a proposal by Aldi to build a store in Lampeter were turned down by Ceredigion County Council on the same grounds.

The Co-op said that “the recent retail study update for Carmarthenshire and the extensive retail audit of the Aldi in Lampeter, confirm that that there is no quantitative retail need in this location.”

Co-op said that Lidl has “significantly underplayed the impact on Lampeter and its existing convenience stores.”

The impact assessment, however, says that both stores can handle competition.

“The Sainsbury’s store at Market Street is significantly overtrading and is well placed to absorb the anticipated trading effect,” the report says.

“The Co-op store at Bridge Street is trading at broadly benchmark level and is also well placed to withstand the improved local competition in 2030.”

The retail impact assessment says that a “quantitative and qualitative need for the proposed development has been demonstrated”, while the “pre-application consultation process has highlighted the overwhelming support for the proposed development by locals.”

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

“The area that has been earmarked for this development has been empty an eyesore for over 20 years,” the community council said.

“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.”

The plans have also received concerns from Natural Resources Wales over a lack of information on flood risk and the Teifi special area of conservation.

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