A NEW Aldi supermarket is set to open in Pontypool next summer, creating up to 40 jobs.

The contentious plans for the new store near the Skewfields roundabout were approved by Torfaen councillors in December 2018, against the advice of planning officers.

A previous application for the site had been refused in 2017 over concerns it would hit the town centre and due to traffic worries.

The discount supermarket says building the new store is “progressing well”, despite a recent bid to reduce the number of electric vehicle charging spaces being refused by Torfaen council.

A non-material amendment was sought by the supermarket giant to reduce the number of electric vehicle spaces from 12, as approved in the original planning application, to four.

In a letter submitted to Torfaen council, Aldi said 12 electric vehicle charging spaces was “excessive and disproportionate to the existing demand”.

It said the number would create “a bank of unused car parking spaces”.

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But a council planning report said the proposed changes were not considered a “non-material amendment”.

The minimum 10 per cent of electric vehicle spaces is intended to cater for future demand for electric vehicles, the council says.

“A two-thirds reduction in the approved level of EVCP (electric vehicle charging point) parking spaces is considered to be a material change to the approved development, is contrary to the requirements of a specific condition of the original planning permission, and would necessitate third party consultation,” a planning report said.

Aldi says it is installing the infrastructure for up 24 charging spaces, and is in discussions with Torfaen council to confirm that in the first instance, four of these will have charging facilities.

It says the intention is that further spaces will be converted to charging bays as demand requires it.

An Aldi spokeswoman said: “Construction for our new Pontypool store is progressing well as we move towards opening in late summer 2022.

“This will create up to 40 jobs for the community.”