A senior Dundee politician has criticised Tesco and says it appears “store wars” have broken out between it and Asda over plans for a £24 million supermarket in the city.
Tesco has confirmed it has lodged objections to last month’s Court of Session ruling dismissing its bid for a judicial review of the city council granting Asda planning permission for a new store on the former NCR site at Wester Gourdie.
Lord Brailsford’s rejection of Tesco’s case had appeared to open the way for work to begin on the new store early next year. But the latest legal manoeuvres mean Tesco can lodge a full formal appeal, inevitably delaying the store plan.
Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said it would be difficult for people to view the wrangle as anything other than “store wars”.
He said the local community supported the proposed new supermarket and the 480 permanent jobs that would come with it.
Mr FitzPatrick said, “Just last month, I welcomed the court’s ruling to support the city council decision to approve the Asda and Macdonald Estates proposals.
“If there are to be further legal moves then delays might result for the new store, the boost to the local construction industry and 480 new jobs it will bring.”
He said the community would regard Tesco’s moves as “store wars” based on commercial motives rather than community amenity.
“It’s rich of Tesco to suggest Asda take up their vacant store at the Stack which Tesco pulled out of without any consideration for the people of Lochee,” he added.
“If it is Tesco’s position now of not blocking, in principle, another store moving into their former premises in the Stack, I welcome it, but I also believe Charleston and the West End are very much in support of the new Asda at Wester Gourdie.”
Niall McLean of Macdonald Estates said the legal process would have to play out but his firm and its partner Asda remained committed to the project.
He said that on top of the jobs created in-store there would be scores of other posts in the construction and associated roadworks.
“In a nutshell we have to await the outcome of this latest action by Tesco,” Mr McLean said. “We were granted consent in January and they sought a judicial review, rejected by Lord Brailsford last month.
“They have now opted to appeal his decision, which they are entitled to do. From our point of view, and the majority of people in Dundee, it is frustrating as we would like to get on with it.”