Aldi wants to develop Crieff supermarket by amending conditions

planning: Move highlights latest spat between retailer and local authority over development

A supermarket chain wants to proceed with plans for a store in Crieff by changing stipulated planning conditions.

Aldi has asked Perth and Kinross Council planners to re-examine permission for its Duchlage Road site.

The request centres on conditions relating to operational matters, including deliveries.

Aldi wants a change so goods can be brought to the Crieff store throughout Sunday, instead of the agreed time slot of between 9am and 5pm.

The issues, which have been emerged in correspondence lodged with Perth and Kinross Council, highlight the latest disagreement between Aldi and the local authority.

The supermarket chain’s plan to build a store on land 50 metres east of Duchlage Farm was previously rejected by the council on the basis the site was earmarked for employment use and not for a food store.

However, Aldi appealed this decision to the council’s local review body and members of that group controversially approved the application in November.

A neighbouring site, which was previously owned by Tesco and is now in the hands of London and Scottish Investments Ltd, was proposed as an alternative site for Aldi, but they have categorically stated they have no interest in this.

The supermarket chain has submitted a statement explaining reasons behind its opposition to the planning conditions including the “retail impact” of the Crieff store.

“The findings of the local review body to matters of retail impact were clear-cut and decisive in their decision to ultimately uphold the review and conclude by a unanimous decision to grant planning permission,” the statement says.

“The local review body found the position of Aldi on matters of retail impact to be preferred to that of the council’s development quality manager and they concluded that the proposed store was not expected to give rise to any significant adverse impacts on Crieff town centre.

“Futhermore, the local review body went further in concluding that the proposals would in fact bring positive benefits to the town centre, namely, it would have a positive impact.”

The findings of the local review body to matters of retail impact were clearcut and decisive in their decision to ultimately uphold the review ... and grant planning permission. ALDI STATEMENT

An artist’s impression of the proposed Aldi supermarket at Duchlage Road in Crieff.