THE DEPUTY leader of Monmouthshire council believes there is no indication that the supermarket Morrisons will not complete the deal to open a store in Abergavenny.

Councillor Bob Greenland, who is also the cabinet member with responsibility for enterprise, said Morrisons has a year left until it has to pay the remaining balance of more than £15million.

The supermarket chain has already paid the council a deposit of £1,675,000 on the sale of the site.

Cllr Greenland said it is encouraging that Morrisons is continuing to open new stores where they see potential.

He said: “Morrisons have a year left until they pay the balance of the purchase price. There is no indication that they will not complete the deal. Elsewhere they continue to open new stores, albeit at a reduced rate, in areas where they see potential. Abergavenny is on the up and certainly has potential.”

Morrisons originally planned to open the branch last autumn but there is no sign of construction work having yet begun. A Morrisons spokeswoman said in May that it is still working behind the scenes on plans but declined to comment further when contacted last week.

Morrisons was chosen as the preferred developer to build a multi-million pound scheme on the site of the former Livestock Market, which closed in 2013. A new £5million site at Bryngwyn, near Raglan replaced the market.

The council signed a legal agreement with Morrisons to build a 25,000 square foot store and began clearing the site in preparation for the scheme in March 2014.

Morrisons paid the council a deposit of £1,675,000 with the remaining £15,076,000 due in June 2016. Cllr Greenland previously blamed the delay on highway approval needed by the Welsh Government as the store fronts the A40 trunk road but understands there is now an agreement between both parties.