emb123
12-Jun-07, 11:20
I heard on Radio Scotland this a.m. that Inverness councillors are all set to reject the plans as I type this for an ASDA in Inverness.
Hunting for more information I came across this article.
http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/3021/Asda_plea_to_locals_in_11th-hour_store_bid.html
Steve Rodger
Asda plea to locals in 11th-hour store bid
By Helen Paterson
Published: 08 June, 2007
SUPERMARKET giant Asda is taking the unusual step of asking the community to plead its case in a last ditch bid to save plans for the company's first Inverness store at Slackbuie.
The development is being recommended for refusal next week on the grounds that it is too big, would threaten the viability of local shops and cause "unacceptable congestion" at Inshes roundabout.
But instead of just sending its own experts to speak at Tuesday's meeting of Highland Council's Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey planning applications and review committee, Asda will turn over part of its time allocation to community council representatives.
Asda Property's James Harbison pointed out that Lochardil and Drummond, Hilton, Milton and Castle Heather, Holm, Culcabock and Drakies and Crown community councils all backed the application for a store and petrol station.
"We will be inviting the community councils to speak on our behalf in favour of the application as part of our time allocation," he confirmed.
"We will also be well-represented and will be making representations to try and overturn the committee report and convince the elected members that an Asda for Inverness is the right thing.
"There are good reasons why they do not need to just accept the officers' recommendation and that they can overcome the decision."
At 6510 square metres, the store would be slightly larger than Morrisons supermarket in Millburn Road, which is 6375 square metres, but smaller than the 10,6000 square metre Tesco Extra at the Retail and Business Park.
Steve Rodger, chairman of Holm Community Council and sub-postmaster in Dalneigh, believed the Asda store was needed to challenge Tesco's market dominance in Inverness.
"A lot of people from Dalneigh travel through to Elgin to go to Asda and it is a long way to travel just to go food shopping," he said.
He was also impressed by Asda's willingness to involve the public by holding a meeting last November about its plans.
"My gut feeling is that the area committee might go against planners," he added.
Lochardil and Drummond Community Council chairman Roddy Dyce said there had initially been concerns about drainage but the store had promised to do work at Slackbuie which would reduce the amount of water flowing into the burn, which runs through Lochardil and is prone to flooding.
"I do not really think size is an issue," he said. "I think it is much better to have competition. I like going to Tesco but it is quite good to try something new for a change."
And while he admitted traffic was a concern, Mr Dyce hoped approval of the application would encourage Highland Council to press ahead with the Inverness Trunk Link Route.
Jean Pumford, a community councillor for Inverness South, agreed there was a need for another supermarket in the area.
"People will be disappointed if it is refused," she said. "It would give an alternative to Tesco and would give people more flexibility in where they shop."
* The public meeting starts at 10.30am in Highland Council's Glenurquhart Road headquarters and has been moved from the Town House to provide more space and access to IT facilities. The idea of allowing councillors from across the region to determine the application, revealed by The Inverness Courier on Tuesday, has been rejected.
Hunting for more information I came across this article.
http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/3021/Asda_plea_to_locals_in_11th-hour_store_bid.html
Steve Rodger
Asda plea to locals in 11th-hour store bid
By Helen Paterson
Published: 08 June, 2007
SUPERMARKET giant Asda is taking the unusual step of asking the community to plead its case in a last ditch bid to save plans for the company's first Inverness store at Slackbuie.
The development is being recommended for refusal next week on the grounds that it is too big, would threaten the viability of local shops and cause "unacceptable congestion" at Inshes roundabout.
But instead of just sending its own experts to speak at Tuesday's meeting of Highland Council's Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey planning applications and review committee, Asda will turn over part of its time allocation to community council representatives.
Asda Property's James Harbison pointed out that Lochardil and Drummond, Hilton, Milton and Castle Heather, Holm, Culcabock and Drakies and Crown community councils all backed the application for a store and petrol station.
"We will be inviting the community councils to speak on our behalf in favour of the application as part of our time allocation," he confirmed.
"We will also be well-represented and will be making representations to try and overturn the committee report and convince the elected members that an Asda for Inverness is the right thing.
"There are good reasons why they do not need to just accept the officers' recommendation and that they can overcome the decision."
At 6510 square metres, the store would be slightly larger than Morrisons supermarket in Millburn Road, which is 6375 square metres, but smaller than the 10,6000 square metre Tesco Extra at the Retail and Business Park.
Steve Rodger, chairman of Holm Community Council and sub-postmaster in Dalneigh, believed the Asda store was needed to challenge Tesco's market dominance in Inverness.
"A lot of people from Dalneigh travel through to Elgin to go to Asda and it is a long way to travel just to go food shopping," he said.
He was also impressed by Asda's willingness to involve the public by holding a meeting last November about its plans.
"My gut feeling is that the area committee might go against planners," he added.
Lochardil and Drummond Community Council chairman Roddy Dyce said there had initially been concerns about drainage but the store had promised to do work at Slackbuie which would reduce the amount of water flowing into the burn, which runs through Lochardil and is prone to flooding.
"I do not really think size is an issue," he said. "I think it is much better to have competition. I like going to Tesco but it is quite good to try something new for a change."
And while he admitted traffic was a concern, Mr Dyce hoped approval of the application would encourage Highland Council to press ahead with the Inverness Trunk Link Route.
Jean Pumford, a community councillor for Inverness South, agreed there was a need for another supermarket in the area.
"People will be disappointed if it is refused," she said. "It would give an alternative to Tesco and would give people more flexibility in where they shop."
* The public meeting starts at 10.30am in Highland Council's Glenurquhart Road headquarters and has been moved from the Town House to provide more space and access to IT facilities. The idea of allowing councillors from across the region to determine the application, revealed by The Inverness Courier on Tuesday, has been rejected.