Controversial plans withdrawn for new Lidl store and up to 38 homes at Inshes in Inverness
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Controversial plans for a new supermarket in Inverness have been withdrawn.
Lidl had submitted plans to Highland Council to develop a food store and up to 38 homes on a greenfield site in Sir Walter Scott Drive at Inshes.
But the application, lodged in December 2021, was withdrawn last week.
Objectors, including Culcabock and Drakies Community Council, had raised a range of concerns including the impact on traffic especially given its location near Inshes roundabout – a notorious traffic bottleneck – and loss of green space.
Community council chairwoman Etta Mackay did not know why the application had been withdrawn.
“We will await with bated breath to see what the next step is,” she said.
“I am not convinced it will go away completely.”
Proposals for the store were first revealed in August 2021 when Lidl began a community consultation.
The site is opposite Inshes Retail Park – which has Tesco and Aldi stores – and next to Police Scotland’s divisional headquarters.
Had they been approved, the plans were expected to create up to 40 jobs for the local community and represented a multimillion-pound investment.
But they attracted immediate opposition from local residents and concerns were also raised by council planning officers who said the proposed retail development would be against the Inner Moray Firth local development plan while supermarket giant Asda lodged an objection, citing various reasons including the retail impact.
At the time it launched the consultation, Lidl said the layout of the site and the location of the food store and housing had been carefully considered to minimise any impact on site neighbours and the surrounding area.
It stated the development would provide much-needed new affordable housing and create jobs locally during construction and in the store afterwards.
Later, in response to concerns raised, it countered that the proposals would not adversely affect the city centre or other nearby retail parks and local centres.
Inverness South councillor Ken Gowans thought there would be a sense of relief among many in the local community that it had been withdrawn.
“I am not surprised it has been withdrawn given it was controversial on a number of levels,” he said.
“Residents were concerned about the volume of traffic.
“A lot of residents will be very reassured and relieved this has now been withdrawn.
“It was perceived it would have had a fairly negative impact on Drakies which is a long-established area and traffic on the road which is close to a primary school.”
Lidl has been contacted for a comment.
