Torfaen planners have refused to change the rules over how and when stock can be delivered to a site where One Stop want to open in Pontnewydd.

The decision has been welcomed by local councillors who felt it would add to traffic problems in the village. Last November, Cwmbran Life reported worries by local residents and business owners who felt a One Stop would affect the family-run businesses in the area.

The national chain want to convert the former Pontnewydd Inn on Commercial Street into one of its shops.  In 2013 a planning application was approved to change the pub into a shop but with conditions that limited the size of delivery vehicles, the times they could visit and where they could stop to unload.

In October 2022, One Stop made an application to have those conditions amended and said their shop could only open and be commercially viable if they could use longer delivery vehicles and unload stock while parked on the main road outside the front entrance.

One Stop was recently given permission to sell alcohol from the site but the business has been waiting for a decision on their application to change the delivery rules.

The council published its decision to ‘refuse’ the application this week.

The three councillors for Pontnewydd, David Daniels, Sue Morgan and Stuart Ashley gave Cwmbran Life a joint statement. They said: “We’ve pushed hard to make sure Torfaen officers understand that deliveries via Commercial Street would be too risky. We’re pleased that this application has been turned down. We would like to see the building used, but it’s important that it does not add to the many problems we already face in the heart of the village.

“We are determined to address the valid concerns people tell us about traffic, parking and safety in Pontnewydd. We want our village to be a thriving, safe and attractive place for everyone.”

Cwmbran Life will contact One Stop to find out what they plan to do next.

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