peter macdonald
02-May-07, 13:53
Mart site plan to feature in Asda inquiry
By Iain Grant
Published: 02 May, 2007
THE new owners of the former agricultural mart in Thurso are being allowed to “piggy-back” onto the public inquiry into Asda’s plans to build a supermarket on a greenfield site at Pennyland.
Miller Developments’ planning application will be tabled at next month’s hearing after the firm successfully appealed to the Scottish Executive.
It is touting the vacant Ormlie Road site as the best available location for a new supermarket in the town.
The Edinburgh-based property developer failed at a pre-inquiry meeting in February to persuade the inquiry reporter Jill Moody to consider its application at the same time as the Pennyland scheme. But Miller has since had its case upheld by the Scottish Executive.
A spokeswoman for Miller Developments welcomed the new joint inquiry.
She said: “We firmly believe our site is the best one in the town for a new supermarket development. We therefore believe there shouldn’t be an inquiry without taking our proposal into account.”
Miller’s appeal was based on its application not being determined by the local authority within the set timescale.
Its initiative has come under fire from Thurso Community Council, which is supporting Asda’s plans to develop a field on Pennyland Farm, opposite the New Weigh Inn.
Speaking before the firm’s successful appeal had been confirmed, community council chairman Bob Earnshaw said: “It appears that Miller Developments’ legal people are basically trying to get round the back of the reporter by asking for the application for the mart site to be taken in conjunction with the Pennyland site.
“As far as I understand, the reporter had turned this down flat.”
Mr Earnshaw added: “If you have a public inquiry about a particular application, you can’t bring another application into the same inquiry.”
The community council earlier this year agreed to oppose Miller’s bid to turn the former Hamilton’s mart into a supermarket and a housing development.
The Highland Council’s now-defunct Caithness area planning committee rejected Asda’s plans for Pennyland by the chairman’s casting vote. Though this was later overturned by the council’s full planning committee, the Scottish Executive called in the application, prompting the inquiry.
Caithness councillors who opposed the scheme did so in support of the local planning blueprint which earmarks the ground as suitable for a hotel and amenity use.
The issue is complicated by the revelation that Miller Developments bought the mart in January 2005 in a deal that included a previously-agreed condition giving Asda an option to buy most of the site.
The supermarket chain, however, insists it is focusing its attention on getting approval for its planned 2896-square-metre store and six-pump petrol station at Pennyland.
The public inquiry is scheduled to get under way on June 26. Originally due to last six days, its new, expanded remit has increased its anticipated duration to three weeks
By Iain Grant
Published: 02 May, 2007
THE new owners of the former agricultural mart in Thurso are being allowed to “piggy-back” onto the public inquiry into Asda’s plans to build a supermarket on a greenfield site at Pennyland.
Miller Developments’ planning application will be tabled at next month’s hearing after the firm successfully appealed to the Scottish Executive.
It is touting the vacant Ormlie Road site as the best available location for a new supermarket in the town.
The Edinburgh-based property developer failed at a pre-inquiry meeting in February to persuade the inquiry reporter Jill Moody to consider its application at the same time as the Pennyland scheme. But Miller has since had its case upheld by the Scottish Executive.
A spokeswoman for Miller Developments welcomed the new joint inquiry.
She said: “We firmly believe our site is the best one in the town for a new supermarket development. We therefore believe there shouldn’t be an inquiry without taking our proposal into account.”
Miller’s appeal was based on its application not being determined by the local authority within the set timescale.
Its initiative has come under fire from Thurso Community Council, which is supporting Asda’s plans to develop a field on Pennyland Farm, opposite the New Weigh Inn.
Speaking before the firm’s successful appeal had been confirmed, community council chairman Bob Earnshaw said: “It appears that Miller Developments’ legal people are basically trying to get round the back of the reporter by asking for the application for the mart site to be taken in conjunction with the Pennyland site.
“As far as I understand, the reporter had turned this down flat.”
Mr Earnshaw added: “If you have a public inquiry about a particular application, you can’t bring another application into the same inquiry.”
The community council earlier this year agreed to oppose Miller’s bid to turn the former Hamilton’s mart into a supermarket and a housing development.
The Highland Council’s now-defunct Caithness area planning committee rejected Asda’s plans for Pennyland by the chairman’s casting vote. Though this was later overturned by the council’s full planning committee, the Scottish Executive called in the application, prompting the inquiry.
Caithness councillors who opposed the scheme did so in support of the local planning blueprint which earmarks the ground as suitable for a hotel and amenity use.
The issue is complicated by the revelation that Miller Developments bought the mart in January 2005 in a deal that included a previously-agreed condition giving Asda an option to buy most of the site.
The supermarket chain, however, insists it is focusing its attention on getting approval for its planned 2896-square-metre store and six-pump petrol station at Pennyland.
The public inquiry is scheduled to get under way on June 26. Originally due to last six days, its new, expanded remit has increased its anticipated duration to three weeks