SUPERMARKET giant Morrisons is poised to build a new store on Abergavenny's cattle market site, the Argus can reveal today.

Monmouthshire county council confirmed yesterday that the supermarket giant has been selected from a number of shortlisted developers, ending months of speculation about how the site would be redeveloped after a multi-million pound deal to turn it into an Asda and retail park fell through last year.

But campaigners battling to keep the cattle market open have vowed to continue their fight, claiming that the latest plan, which would have to be approved by the council's planning committee, was far from a done deal.

Morrisons could not give any detailed information about its proposals for the site yesterday, but did say that the store would be smaller than the company’s Rogerstone branch which opened in 2001.

Monmouthshire council’s project director Steve Greenslade said: “There was huge interest from all the major superstore operators in the site, demonstrating their belief in Abergavenny and the need for a store in the central shopping area.

“We are looking forward to working with Morrisons to deliver a high quality superstore for the benefit of the town and surrounding areas."

The debate over the future of the cattle market began when the council decided relocate the livestock market to Bryngwyn, near Raglan, agreeing an £8.4 million scheme with developer Henry Boot Ltd in 2004 to build a retail park, library and Asda superstore on the original site.

But the deal fell through in early 2009, when Asda pulled out, blaming restrictions imposed on the development by the council.

The council put the site up for sale again in September 2009, with a shortlist including Morrisons, chosen in November.

President of Abergavenny Chamber of Trade Susi Cernoch said the chamber was delighted Morrisons had won the bid, and added that out of the four largest supermarkets, Morrison's trade policy was "the most constructive to the future prosperity of our high street".

But Barry Greenwood, a member of the campaign group Keep Abergavenny Livestock Market (Kalm), said yesterday that while he was disappointed to hear that Morrisons had been chosen as the successful bid, there were still several steps to go through before the plans got off the ground including assembly approval for traffic implications on the main road through the town.

He added: "This is by no means in the bag.”