Showing no support for Somerfield
A lot of recent comments on the Gurn from Nurn have suggested continuing support for the original plan of Somerfield expanding their town centre shop.
The original plan for Somerfield’s town centre expansion in Nairn seems to have reached Mythic proportions – old dogs in taverns still song sad songs of how the Great Somerfield came to Nairn, but how its power has waned.
But one day, a champion for Good will arise and return the Power of Somerfield to Nairn…
The most serious – and dangerous – comment, comes from Spurtle:
Sainsbury’s have made it known that they think the Co-op will go ahead with the town centre site if the Balmakeith scheme is rubber stamped by the Scottish Ministers but, the Co-op have something of an ace up their sleeve here.
Picture a scenario where the Co-op turn up at the Public Inquiry, in theory just as an objector, only to use it as a platform to announce a start date for their town centre supermarket redevelopment plans.
In those circumstances Sainsbury’s plans would likely be blown out of the water. Remember the Reporter can really only consider conformance, or contridiction with planning policy and adopted local plans. The Co-op proposal ticks all the boxes and conforms on all counts – anyone willing to bet against them if they pull this trump card ?
It’s been 12 years since the original Local Plan was written up.
While it has been argued it remains in place until a new plan replaces it, the original documentation I covered a while back makes plain to the public it’s supposed to stay in place only until 2008.
In the meantime, that leaves us with a Local Plan that was written when:
- John Major was still Prime Minister of Great Britain
- Bill Clinton was President of the USA
- Saddam Hussein was the leader of Iraq
- Nairn was half the size
During the time since, it appears that Somerfield has been given plenty of time and gifted free resources to expand its town centre store – to no avail.
Despite land being gifted for free, despite planning officials bending over backwards to accommodate planning, Somerfield has not acted.
In the meantime, the policy of trying to reserve and promote a town centre supermarket has left us with a string of empty buildings along the A96, under Somerfield’s control:
- Derelict petrol station
- Derelict tourist information centre
- Derelict cinema & bar
The reliance on the out-dated town centre policy has given absolutely nothing to Nairn, left the town looking an eyesore to residents and visitors alike, and to boot – the High Street remains in decline.
And now that the Co-op owns Somerfield confusion reigns – and rarely do companies move fast to expand after a take-over, instead focusing on where to down size costs.
This is where Spurtle’s comment is serious business – if Co-op do move to put an application in the immediate future, would this be because the Co-op, despite being in the throes of integration, is seriously interested in putting an immediate plan of expansion and accompanying investment into immediate force?
Or would they simply be looking to try and block a potential competitor from entering Nairn, by obstructing any application by Sainsbrys?
Considering the way in which the HC has supplicated themselves to Somerfield previously, any further pandering to the plan surely no long has anything to do with the interests of Nairn, as much as sticking to a plan for its own sake.
There are various objections to Sainsburys moving into Nairn, but it remains a profound fact that there are so few services in the town that the majority of employment and retail activity by residents has to take place outside of the town – Inverness, Forres, and even Elgin.
And sticking to a town centre supermarket policy has not benefited Nairn in the slightest.
The hope is, that the Sainsburys application will be passed – and if the Co-op do decide to expand, all the better to have competition in place, more services for residents, and more reason for people to visit Nairn.
There are times when using public process to control market forces is welcome – the rejection of the Sandown application by Deveron was a sensible move.
The question, however, needs to be asked by those still looking for an exclusive policy on a town centre supermarket – when has this policy served the interests of Nairn in the 21st century?
Wouldn’t it be just typical if – presuming the Sainsburys application were rejected – we would still be discussing the issue of the Co-op’s hopefuly expansion of a town centre supermarket in 12 years time?
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4 Responses to “Showing no support for Somerfield”
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What Nairn has is what most towns have, a weak and inafective council. One that like most, looks for a quick, short term solution to any big issues. It falls in love with which ever developer comes along with a ‘Grand plan’ and a promise of money.Then moans, rubs it’s hands and says, “Not our problem it’s the developers fault”, when nothing happens, the cash never comes and people start asking why. De-select, re-elect, look for more imaginative, business minded people to properly represent the interrests of the town………volunteers step this way!
Jon
Nairn doesn’t have a council anymore. Just 4 councillors that sit with 76 others on the Highland Council.
That’s why there’s a popular movement for a single community council for the whole of the town.
If we can achieve that then in the long-term it will be far more important than whoever we send to Glenurquart Road.
We need an organisation that the town as a whole can respect; an organisation that will enjoy the support and active backing of the community.
The Royal Burgh Community Council – bring it on!
How about we just try for an independent Nairnshire County Council?
GIVE NAIRN A FIGHTING CHANCE.
I moved from nairn more than 20 years ago and when i come back every so often i see no change, where is the marina? where is the kids activity centres? what are you doing to our amazing town on the east coast, i have always been proud of my town but you only have to look at the high street to see how proud the local council is of it, GIVE BACK TO NAIRN WHAT NAIRN HAS DONE FOR YOU. WE WANT OUR TOWN BACK NOW NOT WHEN THE PLANNERS ARE FINISHED DESECRATING ITS BEST SPOTS.