Click the picture to enlarge and see the future for Balmakeith, a proposed development that enjoys almost unviversal support in Nairnshire. Next Monday this badly needed supermarket project will hopefully move forward when proposed planning conditions on the outline consent will be discussed at a meeting of of the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey Planning Applications and Review committee.Andrew Stanley for Pettifer Estates said today,
"Following the Hearing meeting in Nairn in June, we have been working closely with the planning team at The Highland Council and have discussed a set of conditions which will now be considered by the committee next week.”
Jeff Wilson, Sainsbury's Town Planning Manager for Scotland said:
"We are excited about the prospect of Nairn being home to our first food store in the Highlands and we look forward to bringing improved choice and competition in food shopping to Nairn. In addition the petrol station will bring competitive prices for local motorists. We have been overwhelmed by the positive response from local people and we are committed to continuing to consult on our detailed proposals with the local community."
Andrew Stanley added,
"As well as quality and choice in food shopping, this development will bring job opportunities and the twin benefits of retaining and increasing expenditure within the local area. We think we have now covered all the outstanding points with the council planners and hope that these matters will be approved at the committee next week.”
"Following the Hearing meeting in Nairn in June, we have been working closely with the planning team at The Highland Council and have discussed a set of conditions which will now be considered by the committee next week.”
Jeff Wilson, Sainsbury's Town Planning Manager for Scotland said:
"We are excited about the prospect of Nairn being home to our first food store in the Highlands and we look forward to bringing improved choice and competition in food shopping to Nairn. In addition the petrol station will bring competitive prices for local motorists. We have been overwhelmed by the positive response from local people and we are committed to continuing to consult on our detailed proposals with the local community."
Andrew Stanley added,
"As well as quality and choice in food shopping, this development will bring job opportunities and the twin benefits of retaining and increasing expenditure within the local area. We think we have now covered all the outstanding points with the council planners and hope that these matters will be approved at the committee next week.”
Nairnites will be extremely disappointed if this application gets delayed. Nairn badly needs improved supermarket facilities and the jobs that will go with it.
Nairn residents - including the Gurn - might need to be careful what they wish for. A decent supermarket like Sainsburys is desirable, and needed. But not, surely, at Balmakeith.
ReplyDeleteThe potential of the harbour area was destroyed years ago by unimaginative development of residential apartment blocks. The High Street is now dying - and with it much of the remaining charm of Nairn. Opening a supermarket, and inevitably a whole retail-park development, at Balmakeith will kill the town centre off completely. The remaining local businesses (or any prospective new high street retailers) will struggle. And how long before Somerfields is boarded up? There will be even less incentive for anyone to contemplate developing the derelict bus station/Regal/old Community centre area - except maybe for more ugly grey blocks of flats.
If Sainsburys is established at Balmakeith, visitors and residents alike will ignore the High Street, and start lobbying for even more shops, parking and other facilities at the edge of town.
Is this really what Nairnites want?
That computer-generated picture looks eerily like the Tesco site at the Inshes in Inverness...
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