Speaking exclusively to the "Forres Gazette" following a special hearing of the Moray Council's environmental services committee in Elgin last Thursday, Lidl development executive Douglas Marshall said he was delighted with the outcome.

He added that he would like to acknowledge the consistent support the company had received from local residents throughout the long process.

"We want to ensure that the people of Forres are provided with quality, choice and, above all, value for money," he said.

"This fresh new store can certainly offer local residents all three."

The new Lidl store, which will be similar in size to the outlet in Elgin, is being built on the site of the existing John Gray and Sons car dealership, with the building likely to be erected almost on the same spot as the existing showrooms.

Mr Marshall said that planning permission created the opportunity for Mr Gray to relocate and re-invest in his business.

"It is our intention to make a start on-site as soon as possible," said Mr Marshall.

"Mr Gray is also keen to progress his own plans for new premises, and we will continue to work together to ensure the best result for customers of both businesses.

"A new Lidl store should be trading in Forres by the end of February, 2008."

The council gave Lidl the go-ahead after one obstacle was removed at the last minute. Planners had previously recommended the application for refusal, claiming the interests of Forres would be better served with a more convenient town-centre location in the shape of the former Tesco site on Gordon Street.

However, at the start of the special hearing of the environmental services committee, planning officers told members that they had received last-minute correspondence with regard to the Tesco site, leaving them with no choice but to change their recommendation.

A letter from the company which owns the former Tesco site on Gordon Street – which was previously considered as a more suitable site for the development – informed the council that the site was no longer on the market.

As such the main objection against the development, in favour of it being created on an established town centre site, could no longer stand and the recommendation for refusal was withdrawn.

The special hearing then went ahead with presentations being given by the applicant and those who had previously sent in their representations in support of, or against the proposals.

Following the presentations, councillors gave their unanimous backing to the development.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Gray told the "Forres Gazette" that he was pleased the issue had finally been resolved, and was hoping to put in his own application for a small development at the corner of his existing site from which his business would operate, and provide a servicing workshop for customers.

Meantime, presentations were given to the committee by Douglas Marshall for Lidl, and local man Alan Clibbery, who lives opposite the proposed development and spoke in favour of it.

"My wife and I retired to Forres about four and a half years ago," said Mr Clibbery.

"We bought a second floor flat in Blaven Court. As we live right opposite the development, you could say that there would be nobody more affected than us, but nevertheless we are in support of this application."

He said he and his wife already shopped at the Elgin Lidl store and would be pleased to see one in Forres, which would be easily accessible and offer more choice to Forres shoppers.

"We could just walk across the road," he said.

"I would say that we have seen a huge rise in the number of houses and flats being built in Forres, such as the Knockomie estate, yet there has been no increased amount of retail space for general grocery and food."

During his presentation, Lidl spokesman Douglas Marshall told the council they had done everything required of them during the 16 months since they had lodged their planning application, including consultation with the public, and had received overwhelming support for it.

"There have been no objections from any of the statutory consultees, and no objections from local traders or residents," he said.

He added that at the public consultation held at Forres House Community Centre at the end of last year, they had received a total of 220 supporting statements in favour of the proposal.

"The development will raise the profile of Forres as a retail centre," he said.

"It will not have an adverse effect on the town centre, and will also provide employment opportunities."

Local councillor Jeff Hamilton, who spoke in favour of the Lidl development, told the "Forres Gazette" that it was probably the application for which he had received the most correspondence, and all in favour of it. He knew of only one person who opposed the proposal.

Against a backdrop of unanimous support in favour of the new store was one individual who lodged an objection over safety concerns.

Brian Robertson, from James Jones and Sons, timber merchants, who operate next to the site where the new development will be constructed, gave a presentation citing safety grounds.

Despite having just been informed the day before the special hearing was held, Mr Robertson attended the council meeting and put forward a case for rejecting the development on safety grounds resulting from its location near a busy trunk road which he said served three cities.

Although he said he had "no objection in principle" to the discount store moving to Forres, he said that he was not of the opinion that this was the best location, due to the busy A96 and roundabout, and safety concerns arising from the volume of traffic.

"My major concern is that of road safety," he said.

"We have in excess of 100 lorries per week at our own premises coming and going. I know that other businesses, such as Varis Engineering, also attract a number of heavy vehicles.

"My office overlooks the road junction at the west end of the estate. I see a lot of near misses at the roundabout. A lot of people don't realise that it is give-way and just come straight out at the junction."

Mr Robertson said he had concerns from an increase in the number of members of the public using the new foodstore, which he said in his opinion was a "recipe for disaster", especially in view of the fact that there was a blind corner for traffic coming from the Inverness side.

However, his claims that there were numerous accidents resulting in the regular appearance of police and ambulances were torn to shreds by Councillor Alistair Bissett, who said this was just 'fantasy'.

A report by the traffic department recalled that in the past few years just one accident had been reported, which was said to be a minor incident.

Meantime, chief legal officer Aileen Scott said the council owed Mr Robertson an apology for the fact that officers had failed to notify him until the afternoon before the hearing, which did not give him time to adequately prepare a presentation.

Part of the planning consent includes provision of improved footpaths between the store and the railway station and on a site leading across the A96 in the direction of Pilmuir, across a commonly used piece of ground which leads to a "safe island" in the centre of the road, just a few seconds away from the roundabout.

New Forres councillor Irene Ogilvie asked the committee whether Lidl could be made to install a footbridge across the A96 to provide a safe crossing point. However, she was told by Mrs Scott that, in terms of developer contribution, this would be too costly and not for this meeting.

t.mclaren@forres-gazette.co.uk

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