POWYS County Council is set to perform a U-turn on plans to sell a school site off to a supermarket developer.

The council says it now intends funding a new school in Hay-on-Wye using public money.

Plans previously being considered by the council would have seen a developer pay for a new school in exchange for the existing Oxford Road site, which would have been developed for retail.

That sparked a campaign in the town amid fears independent traders would be harmed by a supermarket.

But those plans appear to have fallen through and the council's cabinet is being recommended to reject the developer's latest offer.

Council leader David Jones said: "The cabinet is being recommended not to proceed with an options agreement with the developer but to explore alternative government funding arrangements for building a new school on the existing school site."

Read the full story and reaction in this week's Brecon & Radnor Express - out now!