CONTROVERSIAL plans to extend a shop front next to the historic town arch in Chepstow have been thrown out by county planners this week.

Monmouthshire council's planning committee has refused to allow High Street retailers Peacocks to extend its front window and create a new shop front.

Under the proposals, the clothes shop would have filled in a covered section at the front of the property, installed glazing and painted the walls of the shop white.

The planning application was deferred by councillors during a meeting on September 9 for further investigation.

The store has since agreed to use jointed pains of glass on the corners of the development to give a lighter appearance and change the arrangement on the paintwork.

However, councillors at this week's planning meeting remained concerned the development would have an adverse impact on a conservation area.

Chairman of the meeting, Cllr Gwyn Eburne, said the extension would block the view of both the gate house and the town's portwall, which is currently visible through Cormeilles Square.

Cllr Ashley Thomas said he thought both the look of the proposed new store and the current store were appalling.

He said: "To me the people involved do not give a damn that Chepstow is a conservation area. If they cared, there would be much more enthusiasm and they would see this as a chance to spend a bit more money, but they haven't. They have created a sop."

Cllr Thomas also raised concerns about planning applications from high street chains. He said: "They come to the High Street and they try to destroy the things that draw people to the town in the first place. It is philistinism of the worst kind."

However, Chepstow councillor Cliff Meredith spoke in favour of the development. He said: "My personal opinion is anything is better than that. If the top half of the buildings could be painted in the same sort of way as the gate house is, it would be brilliant. I cannot see anything wrong with it."

The plan was refused by nine votes to two.