New supermarket plan just streets from Asda

A MAJOR new supermarket which could create more than 400 new jobs is being planned for west Edinburgh – just a few streets away from an existing Asda.

Developer Morbaine wants to demolish the former B&Q on Inglis Green Road, Longstone, along with other vacant units to make way for the new 90,000sq ft food retail store.

The site, which has been vacant since the DIY chain moved out in 2007, is just a short distance away from the Asda at Chesser, but the developers said there had already been "considerable interest" from major retailers in taking over the finished store, and added that the new supermarket would give local customers more choice.

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The company is now planning to put the proposal to the local community, and expects to submit final plans to the council by the end of June.

It is anticipated that the project, if approved, would provide up to 400 permanent full and part-time jobs in the store.

Alex Brodie, director of Morbaine, said: "It gives me great pleasure to bring forward our proposals, which would see a currently abandoned site brought back into productive use.

"The development of a food retail store on this site would significantly enhance consumer choice in this part of Edinburgh and provide a huge boost to the local economy, creating up to 400 full and part-time jobs.

"We will now be undertaking a major pre-application consultation exercise on our proposals over the coming months and look forward to discussing the proposed development in detail with the local community and hearing their views and feedback.

"We will review our plans for the site in light of the feedback we receive before submitting our formal planning application to City of Edinburgh Council in late June."

Morbaine has owned the site for more than 25 years, and developed the B&Q building which is currently sitting vacant.

Representatives from Morbaine have already met with the local community councils, city councillors and other local representatives to outline the proposals.

Hellen McDonaugh, chair of the Longstone Community Council, said the development plan had been greeted positively by local residents, although added that there were some concerns about traffic.

"The B&Q closed down a few years ago and so the site has become a bit of a mess and it will be nice to see it redeveloped," she said.

"The people who came along to hear about the plans were broadly supportive and I think it's something the community will back.

"There are some concerns about the levels of traffic going along that road, and whether any work will be done to help improve safety there, but in general the plans were positively received."