Store bid gets the green light
Supermarket giant Aldi has been given the go-ahead for a foodstore in Crieff after a year-long planning battle.
An appeal panel of councillors, the local review body, unanimously agreed to overturn the refusal slapped on its Duchlage farmland proposal last year.
Members agreed that Crieff would benefit from jobs and at least one new food store, which would help to arrest the flow of residents choosing to shop outside of Strathearn.
It now means that Aldi has basic approval for two units, one of which is earmarked for its use, while there is also full permission in place for another foodstore and retail unit in London and Scottish Investments’ (L&SI) ownership next door around Broich Road.
The LRB met on Tuesday after various previous meetings, including a site visit to Crieff, to rule unanimously on the matter.
They chose to dismiss two late letters which were submitted for inclusion - one from Crieff Community Council and the other from L&SI - which may have sparked a further deferral.
Welcoming the decision immediately after the local review body hearing on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Aldi said its scheme was the only one they would consider for the Strathearn town.
“We are not prepared to look at any other site. This was Aldi’s only site in Crieff,” he said.
An artist’s impression of the proposed Aldi store
Councillors Murray Lyle, Ian Campbell and Dave Cuthbert called on legal and planning advisors in making the ruling after deferral in the summer.
The convenor made a point of asking how much employment land had been set aside in the Crieff area - and was told that 22 hectares had been earmarked.
Cllr Lyle said he considered “pages and paragraphs” of documents in coming to a decision which he based on retail policy in Crieff, the availability of employment land and the listed buildings at the Duchlage Farm site.
The councillor said that the planning officer’s decision which prompted the review had been based on documents which were “out of date” and considered a more recent study was relevant.
He moved to ignore the employment designation of the site - a key stumbling point in the plans - saying that its loss was “not significant” and said the availability elsewhere was suitable.
“The proposal brings with it retail and employment, both of which are of benefit to Crieff. This is a justification of this decision,” he said.
Cllr Ian Campbell agreed with the convenor’s points, adding that the 22 ha of employment land would meet Crieff’s requirements “into the future”.
He said “compelling figures” from a Crieff retail study showed that more than 50% of food and retail need was sourced outside Crieff and Perth and Kinross. “That is shocking,” he commented.
Cllr Dave Cuthbert argued that recent amendments to separate planning applications meant that, in his reckoning, the employment loss was 0.6ha, which he said was “not detrimental to supply”.
It is understood that more than 30 jobs could be created with the development.
The local review body also discussed “contributions” to road improvements in the Broich Road area, something which was previously moved for in the failed Tesco development which is now owned by L&SI.