Mr P Cannop
17-Feb-09, 16:41
Asda in pledge to improve bus services
By Lorna Paterson
Published: 17 February, 2009
The Asda legal team for the public inquiry is headed by Malcolm Thomson QC. Bobby Nelson
SUPERMARKET giant Asda has pledged to spend £300,000 on improving bus services if plans to build its first Inverness store at Slackbuie are given the go ahead by Scottish ministers.
The investment would be in addition to the £1.5 million it has already agreed to spend on upgrading the congested Inshes roundabout.
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The money would be used to reinstate and enhance bus services for customers living around the local area. New bus stops would also be built and "real time" passenger information boards installed to inform passengers when the next buses are due to arrive.
The additional investment plans were revealed yesterday at the start of a week-long public inquiry into the supermarket's plans for a 70,000 square feet store, petrol station and five smaller shops.
The proposals have to go to an inquiry because the plans, which councillors approved against the recommendation of their own officers, breach the city's local plan.
The inquiry had been due to take place in October but an 11th hour decision by Asda to call for a postponement saw it rescheduled for this week.
The supermarket had wanted more time to find a solution to the anticipated traffic congestion at Inshes roundabout which will be caused by people travelling to and from the store.
It has since presented a package of mitigation measures to Highland Council. It includes widening two roads and building a new slip road to cope with the increase in traffic.
Sam MacNaughton, the authority' head of transport and infrastructure, was the first to be called to give evidence at the inquiry which is being held at The Waterside Hotel in Inverness.
He told Scottish Government reporter David Russell that he was satisfied the mitigation works for the roundabout and A9 slip road would nullify any congestion arising from the store.
He added discussions had also taken place between consultants and the council's public transport team and an agreed proposal would see Asda handing over £300,000 towards bus services over the next five years as part of developer contributions.
Computerised models have been used to assess the impact of the new supermarket store on traffic flows at the Inshes roundabout. The model has been extrapolated forward to 2011 — the proposed year of opening for the store.
Asda had hoped that Inverness Estates — the main objector to the proposals — would withdraw its opposition once the new traffic strategy had been submitted.
But this has not happened and Raymond Doherty QC, representing Inverness Estates, which plans to lodge its own application in the next couple of weeks for a new £100 million town centre at Stratton, near Culloden, claimed yesterday the proposed development would have a detrimental impact on the flow and safety of traffic at the roundabout.
He questioned Mr MacNaughton on issues relating to the traffic modelling, claiming the method used did not provide a proper picture of the development's impact on congestion.
He argued data used to assess the number of anticipated customer trips to the store were too low and the proposed upgrade would not improve traffic flows at all arms of the roundabout.
"When you look at the disadvantages there will be a net detriment to the vehicle network," he said.
He also questioned how the improvements could go ahead when some of the land was not in the ownership of Asda nor the council.
"Some of it is controlled and owned by Tesco," he said. "Does that not have a consequence for the proposed scheme of mitigation being put forward?"
Further traffic and transport issues will be explored at the inquiry today, and tomorrow issues relating to retailing will be examined.
Tesco, which was recently granted approval for its fourth store at Dores Road, Holm, has submitted a letter to the inquiry calling on the reporter to disregard issues relating to retail competition on grounds it is not a material planning consideration
By Lorna Paterson
Published: 17 February, 2009
The Asda legal team for the public inquiry is headed by Malcolm Thomson QC. Bobby Nelson
SUPERMARKET giant Asda has pledged to spend £300,000 on improving bus services if plans to build its first Inverness store at Slackbuie are given the go ahead by Scottish ministers.
The investment would be in addition to the £1.5 million it has already agreed to spend on upgrading the congested Inshes roundabout.
advertising
The money would be used to reinstate and enhance bus services for customers living around the local area. New bus stops would also be built and "real time" passenger information boards installed to inform passengers when the next buses are due to arrive.
The additional investment plans were revealed yesterday at the start of a week-long public inquiry into the supermarket's plans for a 70,000 square feet store, petrol station and five smaller shops.
The proposals have to go to an inquiry because the plans, which councillors approved against the recommendation of their own officers, breach the city's local plan.
The inquiry had been due to take place in October but an 11th hour decision by Asda to call for a postponement saw it rescheduled for this week.
The supermarket had wanted more time to find a solution to the anticipated traffic congestion at Inshes roundabout which will be caused by people travelling to and from the store.
It has since presented a package of mitigation measures to Highland Council. It includes widening two roads and building a new slip road to cope with the increase in traffic.
Sam MacNaughton, the authority' head of transport and infrastructure, was the first to be called to give evidence at the inquiry which is being held at The Waterside Hotel in Inverness.
He told Scottish Government reporter David Russell that he was satisfied the mitigation works for the roundabout and A9 slip road would nullify any congestion arising from the store.
He added discussions had also taken place between consultants and the council's public transport team and an agreed proposal would see Asda handing over £300,000 towards bus services over the next five years as part of developer contributions.
Computerised models have been used to assess the impact of the new supermarket store on traffic flows at the Inshes roundabout. The model has been extrapolated forward to 2011 — the proposed year of opening for the store.
Asda had hoped that Inverness Estates — the main objector to the proposals — would withdraw its opposition once the new traffic strategy had been submitted.
But this has not happened and Raymond Doherty QC, representing Inverness Estates, which plans to lodge its own application in the next couple of weeks for a new £100 million town centre at Stratton, near Culloden, claimed yesterday the proposed development would have a detrimental impact on the flow and safety of traffic at the roundabout.
He questioned Mr MacNaughton on issues relating to the traffic modelling, claiming the method used did not provide a proper picture of the development's impact on congestion.
He argued data used to assess the number of anticipated customer trips to the store were too low and the proposed upgrade would not improve traffic flows at all arms of the roundabout.
"When you look at the disadvantages there will be a net detriment to the vehicle network," he said.
He also questioned how the improvements could go ahead when some of the land was not in the ownership of Asda nor the council.
"Some of it is controlled and owned by Tesco," he said. "Does that not have a consequence for the proposed scheme of mitigation being put forward?"
Further traffic and transport issues will be explored at the inquiry today, and tomorrow issues relating to retailing will be examined.
Tesco, which was recently granted approval for its fourth store at Dores Road, Holm, has submitted a letter to the inquiry calling on the reporter to disregard issues relating to retail competition on grounds it is not a material planning consideration