ASDA To Submit Detailed Planning Application For Inverness

3rd October 2009

ASDA has announced that it will be submitting a new detailed application for its proposed store in Slackbuie, Inverness. The supermarket submitted a notice to The Highland Council to confirm its intention last week.

This action is being taken in response to Inverness Estates' appeal to the Court of Session against the Scottish Government's decision to approve ASDA's planning application.

This legal challenge could delay the project - which is already in its fourth year - by at least another year, and will result in additional and unnecessary costs for all the parties involved.

ASDA has, therefore, taken the decision to submit a new detailed planning application to The Highland Council for its consideration in an attempt to move forward with the proposed new store.

Simultaneously, ASDA will also rigorously defend the decision made by the Scottish Government to approve its plans.

In line with the new planning legislation, ASDA will host a public exhibition of the proposals in the coming weeks prior to an application being submitted to The Highland Council.

Lisa Rooke, Property Communications Manager for ASDA, said: "It is extremely frustrating that Inverness Estates has chosen to pursue this course of action.

"However, in the interest of creating jobs, bringing a multimillion pound investment to Inverness and providing consumers with an increased choice of quality affordable goods, ASDA feels that this course of action is the most appropriate way to move forward with our proposals.

"As with our previous application, a public exhibition will be held and full details will be made available shortly. We hope that the people of Inverness will be able to come along to the exhibition and discuss the progress of our plans with us.

"ASDA is extremely disappointed to be back at this stage of proceedings once again. However, we are confident our new application will be dealt with appropriately and efficiently by The Highland Council, and soon enough we will be able to put this matter behind us."

In 2006 ASDA lodged an outline planning application with The Highland Council to develop a store at the Slackbuie site.

In January 2008 ASDA's application was overwhelmingly approved by the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Planning and Review Committee.

In February 2008, the decision was notified to the Scottish Government and was subsequently called-in by The Scottish Government to be considered at a Public Inquiry.

After a lengthy delay, the Public Inquiry was eventually held from 16 - 19 February 2009.

ASDA's proposals for the Slackbuie site received approval from Scottish Government Ministers in July 2009 following the Public Inquiry.

In August 2009, following negotiations, ASDA and The Highland Council came to an amicable resolution over potential traffic congestion whereby ASDA agreed to make a contribution towards traffic mitigation measures should congestion increase beyond an agreed level at the Inshes Roundabout and the A9/B9005 interchange as a result of the store.

However in September 2009, it emerged that Inverness Estates had lodged an objection to the Scottish Government's approval of ASDA's planning application with the Court of Session.