Budget supermarket Aldi has won an appeal to build a fourth shop in Dundee.
Dundee City Council knocked back planning permission for the site at Tom Johnston Road at West Pitkerro Industrial Estate, close to the Sainsbury’s store.
But the chain appealed to the Scottish Government and a reporter upheld the decision, meaning permission has now been granted.
The original application was rejected by 17 votes to six because the three-hectare site had been reserved for industrial rather than retail use.
Concerns were also raised that the store would drive customers away from shops in the heart of Broughty Ferry.
The plans were slammed by Broughty Ferry community council, whose members feared the store would cause congestion.
But the Scottish Government reporter said there are no preferable sites for the £4.25 million development, which will create 35 full-time jobs.
A report said: “The council has suggested that shopping trips made to the proposed store may include some that would be diverted from the Broughty Ferry centre.
“Because that centre contains a range of retail outlets of different types offering a wide range of goods, any diversion of trips to the proposed store would, the council says, reduce the extent to which shoppers may make purchases in other shops in the centre.
“I accept that shoppers visiting Broughty Ferry centre might make purchases in more than one shop, and that if they instead visited the proposed retail store at the appeal site [Aldi] that opportunity would not be available to them as part of the same trip.
“However, the council has not presented any evidence to enable me to quantify the effect of any diminution in trade as a result of a reduction in linked trips.
“Any reduction in linked trip trade would not be such as to cause harm to the vitality or viability of the Broughty Ferry centre overall.
“I find that the proposed development would not have any significant adverse effect on the vitality or viability of existing centres. I also find that no site is available for the proposed development within a sequentially preferable location, and that the proposed retail store would address a deficiency in provision locally.”
Councillors will be notified of the decision at a meeting of the planning committee on Monday.
During the meeting, councillors will be asked to approve two housing developments in the city.
Stirling-based Avant Homes has requested planning permission for 120 houses at Baldragon Farm.
There have been 10 objections to the proposal for detached and semi-detached homes, ranging from concerns about wildlife and suggestions the development, on what is currently agricultural land, will be detrimental to the environment.
Despite contravening the council’s local development plan, the application has been recommended for approval by council officers with conditions, most of which relate to flood prevention.
Councillors will also be asked to approve a Kirkwood Homes application for 49 homes near Downfield Golf Club.
Eight objections have been lodged for the site, west of Dalmahoy Drive, as well as two petitions against the plan.
