Supermarket chain Lidl has thanked the local community for its support as it confirms it is to resubmit plans for a new store in Cwmann near Lampeter.

The original plans were rejected by Carmarthenshire planners over the summer,

Rhydian Griffiths, Regional Head of Property, Lidl GB said: "Lidl GB is planning to resubmit an application for a new store in Cwmann in the coming weeks, featuring an updated design to best serve Cwmann and the wider Lampeter community.

“We are grateful to everyone who supported our original plans, and remain keen to bring a discount store closer to home for local shoppers who currently have to travel to Aberystwyth or Carmarthen. We will keep the community updated as soon as the application is formally submitted."

The original plans received widespread support from the local community but were rejected by planning officers at Carmarthenshire County Council in July, who said a new supermarket would 'have detrimental consequences for the vitality, viability and retail function of Lampeter town centre'.

Papers published online by Carney Sweeney on behalf of Lidl state that ‘we consider officers erred in the weighing up of important material considerations of need in the planning balance,’ when refusing the plans in July.

In its retail statement, the supermarket adds: "Lidl has carefully reviewed the reason for refusal together with the comments received during the determination of the previous application.

“Accordingly, the proposal has been refined to ensure that planning officers’ original concerns with the proposal are fully addressed and to allow Carmarthenshire Council to consider the salient matters afresh.

“The proposed development will not result in a significant adverse impact on existing, committed or planned in-centre investment, allocated sites, or the vitality and viability of nearby centres, with particular regard to Lampeter.

“The updated evidence demonstrates that the town centre is vital, viable and diverse; that its principal foodstore is strongly overtrading and resilient to competition, with no evidence of vulnerability.”

In his decision notice refusing the plans in July, 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."

Ceredigion County Council objected to the original 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.

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, with a previous consultation showing 91 per cent support.