Ceredigion County Council's planning committee has rejected an application to build an Aldi supermarket in Lampeter.

Following a lengthy debate on Wednesday morning at Ceredigion County Council's development control committee, councillors agreed with planning officers' assessment that Lampeter did not need another supermarket.

The plans to build a supermarket on university land along Pontfaen Road were first submitted by Aldi in 2021 who voiced frustration last month over delays to its application.

The application would have also seen the refurbishment of a Grade II-listed sports pavilion, the installation of three pre-fabricated wooden ‘food village’ exhibition pods, and a nature and biodiversity area with associated access, car parking and landscaping, were previously recommended for refusal last summer.

A planning report said there is no “quantitative or qualitative need for the proposed foodstore in Lampeter,” and would have a “major detrimental impact” on other stores.

The report adds a new store is expected to have “a major adverse impact on both Aberaeron and Llandysul town centres, with losses of around 10 per cent of total convenience trade predicted.”

Planning officers also questioned the information provided by Aldi and said the new store would only bring around a £10 saving on a £100 shop.

Both Aldi and University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) – which owns the land - said there is ‘a groundswell of local support’ and called on members to approve the plans.

Documents said the store would bring in up to 40 local jobs.

Lampeter may yet get another supermarket after rivals Lidl submitted an application to build a store on the outskirts in Cwmann, which is on the other side of the county border in Carmarthenshire.

Reacting to the application being rejected, Rob Jones, Real Estate Director, Aldi said: “We’re naturally very disappointed with the outcome of today’s Committee meeting.

“We feel that these proposals and the broader investment they represent would have brought significant benefits to Lampeter. We’re sad not to be able to progress with the plans as we had hoped.

“We will discuss the outcome today and consider our options. As it stands, we haven’t made any decisions on our next steps, but we will make sure to update the local community as soon as we have considered the implications of today’s decision more fully.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those local residents and stakeholders who have taken the time to show their support for our application over the course of this process”.

Speaking before the decision on Wednesday, Emyr Jones, Interim Director of Estates & Facilities at UWTSD added: “These proposals represent an important part of the aspiration for sustained economic growth in this area and we look forward to working closely with Aldi to deliver considerable local benefits. A positive determination would help unlock this significant potential investment for Lampeter and the wider region.”