Stirling is in store for a new Asda supermarket after councillors approved a new £20 million retail development for the city.
Stirling Council’s planning panel voted by four votes to two at a meeting on Wednesday to approve an application by Ramoyle Developments Ltd.
The developers were seeking planning permission for a mixed use development comprising of offices (Classes 2 and 4), retail, drive-thru restaurant, car showroom and car parking, infrastructure and landscaping at land at Crookbridge, south of the Wickes DIY store and north of Kerse Road and Muirton Road.
Members were told the entire development would net 250 full time equivalent jobs, not including construction jobs and additional jobs created by the relocated car showroom, and could even be as many as 500-600 in total.
Council planning officials had recommended the proposal be refused saying not enough up-to-date information had been used to show there would not be a negative impact on the city centre or that sufficient consideration had been given to alternative city centre sites.
They also said the foodstore would contravene Local Development Plan criteria which stipulates that Springkerse and Milhall retail should be for household (bulky goods) only.
But enough councillors overruled the recommendation and the application was approved.
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Seventeen objections were lodged, including one from Broomridge Community Council and there was one letter of support.
Springkerse Retail Park II objected saying vacant floor space across Springkerse will be undermined by the development and the Thistles shopping centre also wanted the application refused saying the town centre must be protected.
In their report for the hearing, council planners said: “It is acknowledged that Stirling likely has an oversupply of land and premises reserved for bulky goods retailing, as evidenced by undeveloped areas which have been allocated for many years, as well as vacant buildings particularly at Springkerse.
“The Crookbridge site has been available for development of bulky goods for a decade with no interest - however this is not reason on its own to justify allowing these proposals.”
Representatives for the applicants, however, said most of the council planners’ concerns stemmed from the type of retail being asked for - but that their report also acknowledged there was no likely prospect of securing bulky goods retail on the site, particularly as SDA had been marketing the site unsuccessfully for more than a decade.
The representatives added that their assessment of impact on the city centre was “highly robust” and did also include the most up to date information, with a 2008 Retail Impact Assessment used only as a “starting point”. Several alternative sites had also been considered and discounted.
They added: “Asda will compete with Tesco, Sainsbury and Morrisons but not to the detriment of the city centre. The proposal complies with the Local Development Plan as long as it doesn’t affect the centre.”
The John Clark Motor Group also spoke in favour of the application at Wednesday’s hearing, saying they intended to relocate their Jaguar Landrover business on Glasgow Road to the site should it be approved.
Alan McIntosh, from the motor group, said their Glasgow Road premises no longer met the criteria for Jaguar and Landrover franchises, particularly with a move towards electric vehicles. The group felt the most appropriate location for a new Stirling premises was around Kerse Road, which would also see their current workforce of 75 increase.
He said they were under “considerable time pressure” and if unable to move to Crookbridge they would be forced to look at alternative locations which “may or may not be in Stirling”.
Councillor Scott Farmer moved to approve the application, seconded by Councillor Rob Davies. They were backed by councillors Graham Houston and panel chair Alasdair Macpherson. Councillors Susan McGill and Jim Thomson voted to refuse.
Councillor Farmer said: “There are no alternative sites for a superstore on the scale proposed. In terms of active travel, a condition to deliver and pedestrian and cycle way can be dealt with at the detailed phase.”
