Pizza giant Domino’s has finally won permission to set up in Forfar.
On Tuesday, Angus councillors backed a bid for a new outlet in a vacant shop on Castle Street.
It will bring £350,000 of investment and around 30 jobs to the town.
And the green light came with a promise from the franchisee behind the plan that he is not setting out to hurt any existing town takeaway businesses.
The new Domino’s site is a former Blockbuster video store and charity shop directly next door to the well-established Dino’s Kebab House.
So the planning bid has prompted widespread interest among local fast food fans.
Franchisee’s fifth Tayside outlet
But applicant Henry Dawes said there was plenty of room for healthy competition in the town and he will be a good neighbour to the family-run firm.
“Domino’s is a global giant, but I am a franchised business,” he told the council’s development standards committee.
“A lot of work has gone into this.
“This is actually the third location we’ve looked at to open a Domino’s in Forfar.
“I grew up in Broughty Ferry. We now have 200 employees across five sites.”
Mr Dawes’ other outlets include Dundee Domino’s at City Quay, Panmurefield, Douglas Road, Angus Court and one in Arbroath.
“It’s my job to make sure we don’t have any negative impact on our surroundings and our neighbours,” he said.
“We’re not out to try to hurt anybody’s business – the absolute opposite.
“We’re not a big corporate company out to annoy people, it’s my franchise and I hope I look after our people and the area that we are in as well as we can.”
Town centre empty shops
Planning officials recommended the application for conditional approval.
And they said the prospect of two popular takeaways being located next to each other was not relevant.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, competition between businesses is not a material planning consideration,” said the planning report.
“Similarly, it is not appropriate for the planning system to favour one individual over another due to their identity.”
The committee was told council policy allows for change of use in town centre where vacancy rates are above a 10% threshold.
The Castle Street shop has been empty for more than three years.
Councillors heard the current Forfar vacancy rate is around 20%.
That compares with an average vacancy rate in Dundee of just over 15%.
Mr Dawes turned his attention to the town centre shop after pulling the plug on plans for a former grocer’s on St James Road.
The application was unanimously backed by the committee.
Forfar councillor Ian McLaren said: “It will provide a new use for a vacant building so I’m happy to support it.”
Conditions attached to the approval will cover noise, waste management and the time service deliveries can take place.
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