THE FATE of plans by Asda and Sainsbury's for stores in Cinderford will be decided next week.

Asda wants to build a store at Steam Mills Road while Sainsbury's has its eye on the Rothdean site in Station Street for a supermarket with petrol station and a housing development.

Planning officers are recommending that Asda plans are accepted but Sainsbury's are refused when they go before the Forest of Dean Council's planning committee next Tuesday.

Asda has agreed to hand over more than £500,000 for the Cinderford regeneration scheme and improvements to the Valley Road and St White's Road junction and to local bus services.

Sainsbury's has said it is willing to give more than £140,000 for improvements to local roads and the 710 bus.

Despite this even the supermarkets agree that trade in Cinderford town centre will be hit.

Asda says its store would reduce turnover in the town centre by 27 per cent although the council estimates it could be between a quarter and 30 per cent.

Sainsbury's reckons 24 per cent of town centre trade could be drawn away but the council thinks it could be as much as a third.

Planners also point to the impact of both proposals on Cinderford Co-op which they expect will be "well below company average performance levels" after the new store opens.

Both supermarkets say that a large proportion of their customers will go into the town centre but that has been dismissed by planning officers who say no evidence has been provided to back it up.

Planning officers say Asda's contribution will offset the harm to business in the town centre.

The main reason for the Sainsbury's recommendation is that the site is earmarked for housing.