Annan store fight success for campaigners

Aug 29 2008 by John Ballard, Dumfries Standard Friday

CAMPAIGNERS were celebrating this week after councillors rejected plans for a controversial foodstore development that looked set to get the go-ahead.

Instead of taking planning officers’ advice and backing a scheme by Katalyst Projects Limited for a store in Scott’s Street, Annan, councillors refused permission and gave their support to Tesco’s application for a supermarket in the town – which had been recommended for refusal.

The decision was welcomed by many in Annan as the Katalyst project received nearly 450 objections via petitions, while the Tesco application to develop a site adjacent to Stapleton Road and Scott’s Street, had just three objectors.

Vicky Keir, who lives in Murrayfield Cottages, next to the Katalyst site, was overjoyed with the outcome of Wednesday’s area committee meeting.

Like many of other objectors she raised fears that the site was in the wrong location and would create noise and danger. She has an eight-year-old son who’s autistic and was terrified of the impact building work would have on him.

She said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the decision. “The councillors were able to see sense and could see that this was just the wrong location and people didn’t want it. There was a really, really good turnout of people at the meeting and I think that helped with the decision as well as the numbers that signed petitions.”

The area committee’s decision will now be passed on to the council’s full planning committee.

South of Scotland MSP Mike Russell earlier this week blasted planners and accused them of double standards in recommending the Katalyst application.

MSP Elaine Murray had said the planning decision on the two Annan sites should be called in by the Scottish Government and determined by ministers as the council has been a “major player” in the Gretna-Annan-Lockerbie Corridor Regeneration Strategy (CoRES), which set up Katalyst.