Plans for a new supermarket on Skye promising 200 jobs yesterday brought fresh hope that it would challenge the Co-operative’s “monopoly” on the island.
But a Highland politician warned that such job promises should be “taken with a pinch of salt” as new supermarket developments tended to take jobs away from existing retailers in the area.
Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association (LSHA) and developer Rubicon Land Ltd have lodged a planning application with Highland Council for a new supermarket – most likely Tesco – and filling station on Home Farm, owned by the association, at Portree.
They claimed their plans for a 36,000 sq ft supermarket – double the size of the Co-op store in Dunvegan Road – would “address the real need for better shopping facilities and provide much greater choice for local residents”.
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Dave Thompson said: “The people of Skye and Lochalsh have waited a long time for some competition to the Co-op in the local area.
“I think it will be a good thing if this application succeeds and that competition arrives – whether it is Tesco or another retailer.
“It will hopefully help to drive prices down, which will be great for the local community.”
However, he was unconvinced that the new development would create as many new jobs as the developers are claiming.
Mr Thompson said: “Any new jobs are always important. However, there is only a finite amount of trade in any given area, so I think claims of large numbers of new jobs for a new supermarket always have to be taken with a pinch of salt.”
David Hearn, chairman of Portree and Braes Community Council, said: “The local community is totally supportive of another supermarket to be competitive to the Co-op.”
The housing association’s chief executive, Lachie MacDonald, yesterday said: “We are delighted to be part of this project to improve shopping facilities for Portree and Skye and Lochalsh.
“This development involves land that we would have difficulty developing for housing in the foreseeable future, and we envisage the receipt from the sale of this land being recycled into other affordable housing projects.”
Rubicon Land director, Colin Taylor, said they strongly believed that, if planning consent were granted, they could “bring one of the major supermarket operators to Portree”.
However, in their community consultation document, they said they were confident they would be successful in bringing Tesco to the town.