Aldi store refusal shows priorities are wrong

Madam, – John Watson of Broughty Ferry Community Council is delighted that planning was refused on a 10 year vacant site and that “good sense prevailed”.

I totally disagree with his comments and those of the councillors who voted against Aldi’s plans at Tom Johnston Road, Claypotts.

Aldi is one of the fastest growing, most successful retailers in the UK through organic growth, which is the result of customer acceptance and demand.

To reject an investment of £4.25 million in the Dundee economy and the promise of 35 well paid jobs to the immediate area defies logic.

They have failed to acknowledge that the vast majority of the local shopping population would welcome a valuefor-money discount quality retailer at Claypotts, evidenced by the very busy Lidl and Aldi stores trading successfully within the city.

The demographics would reflect and confirm this key factor. They have not thought this through and to say that “employment could be at the detriment of local jobs and local businesses’’ is downright irresponsible.

Councillor Scott and Mr Watson need to remember this is a destination store.

The centre of Broughty Ferry is quite a distance away and has its own established integrity, vitality and viability.

This also applies to the other smaller shopping precincts.

The immediate competition store, Sainsbury’s, of course would need to “up their game”. This can only serve in the best interests for shoppers too.

With reference to comments on the A92 main arterial route and traffic. The implication is that, should the site be acquired for industrial use as per the local plan, planning would again be refused for the same traffic management issues to which they refer. It doesn’t make sense.

Messrs Watson and Scott and local councillors would be better serving the community by trying to resolve the extremely serious A92 traffic buildups evidenced on the morning and afternoon school runs.

Drivers taking their children to school are at risk on the Clearwater roundabout and Balgillo Road junctions.

Every school day, cars can be seen straddled over the roundabout through no fault of their own.

This has to be a priority to resolve this in the interests of safety for parents and children. It would be time better spent.

It is well documented how businesses in Dundee are either closing down or shrinking their workforces.

We must encourage and embrace companies who have identified Dundee as a worthwhile investment and not keep putting barriers up. Dundee needs the jobs and outside investment.

Stephen Koral. Inchkeith, Broughty Ferry.

Superior Scottish Court’s jurisdictions is questionable where the UK Government is concerned is wrong, if not ridiculous.

The UK Government has appealed the Court of Sessions decision to the Supreme Court of the UK because this is the only way to turn over their decision, as the Supreme Court is the final Court of Appeal in the UK.

I would refer Mr Scott to the Act of Union 1707 and to aquaint himself with the workings and jurisdictions of the courts of Scotland.

Further suggestions that Scottish courts have no business in interfering in English issues really says it all.

That the motives of the SNP were partisan underhand and politically motivated sums up a rather biased unsubstantiated political stance. To suggest the interference and political aims of the SNP were a means of undermining the shambolic Westminster parliament really does not cut the mustard.

Westminster is undermining itself with little help from anyone else.

Finally, minority administrations exist in both parliaments. Boris Johnson made sure of that in Westminster. Dan Wood. Charles Melvin Gardens, Kirriemuir.