Revived plans which include an Asda store for Stirling, expected to create and safeguard at least 350 jobs, have been unanimously approved by councillors.
The backing by Stirling Council’s planning panel yesterday (Tuesday) is latest – and some hope the last – chapter in the long-running saga of efforts to bring the retail giants to the city.
But this time council officials say they are confident previous stumbling blocks – which included the Scottish Government stepping in to stop the development – will be avoided.
The Ramoyle Developments application will create an Asda supermarket on a site at Crookbridge near Springkerse – although smaller than one originally proposed.
The development comprises the supermarket, a car showroom, offices and business units, a vehicle refuelling hub, pedestrian/wheeling bridge across a town burn, and associated car parking and infrastructure on the site at Crookbridge, south of Wickes and north of Kerse Road at Muirton Road.
The developers previously said the £40million development could create around 90 new jobs during construction, followed by an additional 100 full and part-time roles when the store opens.
They say 200 jobs will also be safeguarded by the relocation of the Morrisons Landrover car showroom and local business.
In January 2022 Ramoyle’s original plans – for offices, retail, drive-thru restaurant, car showroom and car parking, including an Asda superstore larger than now proposed – were approved by Stirling Council’s planning panel. The decision was later called in for review, however, by the Scottish Government, giving ministers the final say, over concerns there could be implications for retail policy across Scotland and their “town centre first” approach.
In November 2022 ministers agreed, in terms of the superstore, there were no preferable, suitable and available sites in Stirling to accommodate a retail unit of the size and type proposed – but that the economic benefits did not outweigh the potential for “significant impacts on the vitality and viability” of the city centre.
The new application, however, was accompanied by an updated and more indepth Retail Impact Assessment, which council planners said had also then been scrutinised on the council’s behalf by an independent retail expert.
Councillors unanimously approved the proposals subject to a Section 75 legal agreement being concluded and a number of conditions – including that the sale of convenience goods in the supermarket be restricted to no less than 62.5 per cent of the total sales floor area. The figure was said to be based on data within reports suggesting this was the limit which could be reached without impacting on the vitality and viability of the city centre.
Councillor Neil Benny had quizzed officers on the content of the impact reports during the panel meeting.
However, he said: “There was an assessment done of the data. This [the 62.5 per cent] was not a number that Asda applied for but based on data that independently assessed this as not having an impact on the city centre, so in that respect I’m quite happy.
“The big kicker here is 350 jobs. Supermarkets are economic contributors and good job creators.”
Panel chair Councillor Rachel Nunn said: “I feel that the work that has gone into this suggests we will not be making things worse. I feel we have a good application in front of us.”
Councillor Gerry McGarvey sought reassurance that concerns raised by Scottish Ministers in 2021/22 had been “significantly addressed”, adding: “Reading between the lines, it seems to be the case – but I’m just making sure we are not going down the same road again.”
However, planning officials said: “We wouldn’t probably entertain an application is it didn’t meet all that criteria.”