THE controversial nightclub plans for the centre of Abergavenny have been given the green light.

DT Civils, who plan to build a cabaret and restaurant facility on waste land adjacent to the Hen and Chickens Hotel, appealed to the National Assembly after the scheme was thrown out by the county planning committee.

Managing director of DT Civils Tony Carter said they were disappointed the application took so long. "We are happy about the appeal, this could have been avoided in the early stages. Now the people of Abergavenny will be footing the bill because of the council cock-up," he said.

Planning inspector Gwynedd Thomas has not only allowed the appeal, with several conditions including a 2am closure, but also awarded costs against Monmouthshire County Council, saying they acted unreasonably in refusing the plans.

The council will now face a bill of several thousand pounds. The members of the planning committee went against officers' recommendation in refusing to allow the scheme.

George Ashworth, head of planning said: "We are disappointed that the inspector did not uphold elected members' decision, and cognisance was not given to the fact that amenity concerns are always more difficult to substantiate in policy terms."

Objectors to the scheme at the appeal hearing included three Gwent police officers, two Abergavenny councillors and Sir Trefor Morris, chairman of the Bryn y Cwm Community Forum.

The police officers spoke of the problems of late night violence and public order offences and said the scheme would add to those problems. Sir Trefor and Cllrs Douglas Edwards and Anthony O'Donovan said the proposal should not be considered in isolation from the Abergavenny Regeneration Action Plan which includes the St John's Square area redevelopment.

As well as the cabaret and restaurant, DT Civils plan to build a shopping arcade, with a caretaker's flat above.

The inspector, who made a late night visit to Abergavenny town centre, said: "I consider there would be a material difference between the way the proposed wine bar and cabaret would function in comparison to the two nearby public houses and the Chevron Club.

"I visited the town centre in the early hours of Saturday morning and neither saw nor heard excessive late night revelry in any part of the town. It is evident that the town centre is well policed during the early hours of the morning."