HUNDREDS of people are backing Newent traders in their fight against a new supermarket opening on the outskirts of town.

Shopkeepers in the town have started a petition against the plans submitted by builders MF Freemans.

Terrie Kirby, of Newent News, said most of the 25 to 30 traders in the town are collecting names for the petition which hundreds of people have already signed.

Civic leaders are also fighting the 5,000sq ft supermarket, which they have been told will employ around 55 staff.

Ms Kirby said: "Newent is a lovely little town with lots of individual shops but all that will change if they put a supermarket at the top of town.

"It will take trade from everybody. People will not bother coming into town. They will go to the supermarket which will have 71 parking places and drive straight back out again.

"There are already three supermarkets in the town, we don't need another one."

Traders believe developers want a supermarket to take advantage of the new housing development at Oak Farm and a planned new Two Rivers headquarters.

Newent Town Council has voted to object to the supermarket plans, claiming an industrial site is inappropriate for a retail unit.

"I have very grave concerns about this," said councillor Len Lawton.

"This is out of town shopping on a scale Newent cannot contend with.

"A similar application in 1993 was turned down because a survey highlighted that it would be detrimental to the town.

"I think we need to object to this in the strongest possible terms."

Mayor David Blick added: "We are objecting to this development which will destroy the unique rural atmosphere of the town centre. It is a speculative development and they will sell it to the highest bidder."

Luke Freeman, joint managing director of the MF Freeman Group, defended the plans.

He said: "The council's own retail study identifies the need for a foodstore in Newent. Such a store will reduce the need to travel elsewhere and will therefore be more sustainable and beneficial to Newent overall.

"There is no readily available site in the town centre to fulfil this need."