DUNOON SUPERMARKET - GASWORKS APPEAL REFUSED

Last Updated on Monday, 06 August 2012 15:11 Written by Gordon Neish Monday, 06 August 2012 15:01

A SCOTTISH Government reporter has refused an appeal to build a supermarket on the site of Dunoon’s former gasworks -  effectively scuppering any hope of a class 1 store being built on the site.

A rival bid, on and near the site of Walkers Garage, has already been granted planning permission.

The decision, made last Wednesday, was released today (Monday) after Argyll and Bute Council refused planning permission in December last year and site owners National Grid Property Holdings appealed to the Holyrood government.

Although Argyll and Bute planners gave five reasons for refusing permission to build a supermarket on the Argyll Street site, government reporter Karen Heywood dismissed four of the council’s reasons: that the site is at risk of flooding; that there would not be enough car parking space; that the site would be over-developed and the viability of the site.

Such was the reporter's concern over the council's refusal reasons, she took the unusual step of saying the council 'acted in an unreasonable manner' and instructed Argyll and Bute Council to pay expenses to the failed applicant.

However, she refused planning permission on the gasworks site because of the ‘likely cumulative retail impact on the town centre and the consequent conflict with the local plan’.

Full details and reaction in Friday’s Dunoon Observer print edition.