A discount store in Gwent is set to significantly grow in size by combining with an adjacent shop space, according to fresh proposals.

The Home Bargains outlet in Blackwood could be preparing to expand into a neighbouring premises, newly submitted plans reveal. The retailer has put in a request to the local authority to join the adjacent building and modernise the combined space to form a single larger shop. Sports Direct, which most recently occupied the neighbouring unit, has given no indication about what this development might mean for its continued operations in the town.

Should the plans receive approval, the proposal would also permit Home Bargains to move the unit’s current entrance point and install new additions including trolley shelters. In a supporting document submitted by the applicant’s representatives at Quod, the expansion of the store is described as reflecting the company’s dedication to maintaining its location at Blackwood Gate Retail Park and making further investments in the surrounding community. The representatives stated the plans would deliver economic and social advantages to the town, encompassing the preservation and creation of employment opportunities, private sector investment and an enhancement to Blackwood’s shopping facilities.

Frasers Group, the parent company of Sports Direct, chose not to respond to questions about its future intentions for its Blackwood branch. The application is currently open for public feedback and can be examined on the Caerphilly County Borough Council website using reference number 26/0260/FULL.