THE TORY deputy leader of the IW Council has refused to bow to Labour and Independent pressure and has stood by his decision to allow an Aldi or Lidl-type supermarket to be built next to Asda.

Cllr Stuart Hutchinson, the council's cabinet member for resources, used his delegated powers to vary a condition attached to the council's sale of the land for £350,000 to developer South Coast Leisure.

Under the old wording of its option to purchase SCL would not have been allowed to include a supermarket in its trade and retail park.

As revealed by the County Press last week, SCL intends to submit a planning application in the spring.

Cllr Hutchinson decided removing the restriction fitted the council's aims of promoting economic growth and investment in the Island and provided a significant income to the authority.

He pointed to SCL still needing planning permission if it wanted a supermarket.

Cllr Geoff Brodie, who successfully lobbied in 2014 for the restriction to be put in place, said removing it would impact on Newport town centre businesses, a concern echoed by Cllr Julie Jones-Evans and Newport Business Association.

Cllr Brodie is now seeking support from other councillors for the decision to be "called-in" and considered by the authority's scrutiny committee.