Approval for £15m Tesco Aviemore store

TESCO is to get a new £15 million home in Aviemore which is expected to create more than 150 new jobs.

However, the go-ahead for the development means a rare species will be losing its own home.

The long-delayed application was unanimously approved subject to conditions by members of the Cairngorms National Park's planning committee at their meeting in Aviemore.

Planning officer Andrew Tait had recommended the move, arguing that its importance to the area outweighed the loss of the rare Northern Damselfly's pond habitat on the site.

However, work on the scheme will not start until the insects are moved to another suitable pond, and that will be next spring at the earliest.

The new 45,000 square feet store at Myrtlefield is three times larger than the current village centre premises which the company says is too small to cope with customer numbers and demand at peak holiday times.

Mr Doug Wilson, corporate affairs manager for Tesco, commented: "It is greatly encouraging that the Cairngorms National Park Authority has supported our proposals for Aviemore. We wholeheartedly share the community's enthusiasm to bring a new supermarket to Aviemore, in addition to creating employment opportunities for local people.

"We are delighted with the support we received today and it is clear that members recognise the level of community support for our plans, in addition to the benefits that they will bring to the local area and the economy."

The park authority has recommended that Tesco works with the British Dragonfly Society on how best to move the Northern Damselfly population.

Mr Wilson continued: "The timescales for this project will be driven by the translocation of the habitats of the damselfly, and we will continue to work extremely closely with the Cairngorms National Park Authority to find a successful conclusion."

However, a spokesperson for the Badenoch and Strathspey Conservation Group (BSCG) said that the damselfly population should not be removed from the site for several years.

He said: "It is critical to the success of this translocation that the existing pond is safeguarded until the Northern Damselfly has bred for several generations in any new site. This takes several years not just one.

"The CNPA and Tesco must act responsibly on this and not attempt to cut corners by planning to destroy the existing pond after only one year of monitoring the translocated damselfly population.

"We are very concerned that the CNPA did not include this safeguard as a specific planning condition."

Mr Duncan Bryden, the park's planning committee chairman, said: "This new supermarket in Aviemore will generate local jobs, help the park economy and reduce car journeys to shop in Inverness.

"We are really pleased to be able to grant it planning permission. The design uses local stone and timber and will add to the Aviemore streetscape. Many green features have been included to lower the carbon footprint of the store.

"We raised serious concerns with Tesco about wildlife conservation, in particular the rare population of the Northern Damselfly living on the site and these are being carefully addressed."

He added: "Our role does not end today and we will continue to provide guidance and advice on these matters, ensuring the development can move forward as quickly as possible."

Local MP Danny Alexander said the decision was great news for Aviemore. "This new supermarket has the strong support of the local community, and will create 150 or so new jobs in the area," he commented. "This decision has been long awaited and I hope very much that the work can get under way very soon.

"I hope the conditions relating to the northern damselfly can be dealt with very quickly because we can't afford for the jobs and opportunities for the community that this development represents to be held up."

Mr Tait conceded that the translocation of the Northern Damselfly was "experimental", adding that "success is by no means guaranteed".

Mr Matthew Hawkins, the park's senior heritage officer, said: "Our first preference is naturally to keep a valuable habitat in situ, on site, but this is not always possible."

He said translocation would not be easy, with research having to be undertaken as to what conditions would best suit the Damselfly.

It was hoped the creatures could be physically moved to a new pond by next spring.

However, he admitted that the CNPA did not have another pond in mind at the moment. The committee is to be kept informed about how the process goes.

Committee member and local Highland councillor Jaci Douglas asked what arrangements were being made to make sure the store was not lit up too brightly at night.

She was told that the store, which will not be open 24 hours a day anyway, would have its light dimmed or turned off at night.

Asked about whether Tesco would use local food products in its new store, Mr Wilson said it would and he would be keen to hear from potential local suppliers.

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