Nairn Provost Liz MacDonald yesterday told a public inquiry that the town’s 8,000 residents “deserve” a £20million Sainsbury’s supermarket.
Mrs MacDonald said the store, which would be built on arable land at Balmakeith Farm, on the eastern fringe of Nairn, would “improve competition and increase value and choice”.
Speaking on the third day of the inquiry at Nairn Community Centre, she said: “I believe the population base and the local community deserve improved shopping facilities, even if a lack of suitable sites within the town centre mean these have to be located outwith the town centre.
“I’ve felt for a number of years now that the town centre is not a viable option because of its restricted size, lack of parking, and officers of the council have assisted in every way possible to help this go ahead, but to no avail.”
Mrs MacDonald added: “In Nairn at present there is a distinct lack of shopping opportunities with a large number of closed shops on the High Street. Three High Street units are occupied by charity shops.
“This has led to significant drift by shoppers to Forres, 11 miles away, or Inverness, 16 miles away.
“This increases our carbon footprint and, during the period when fuel was excessively expensive, was of great concern to the people of Nairn.”
If approved by Scottish ministers, the development would include a supermarket similar in size to the Tesco store at the Inshes Retail Park in Inverness, a petrol station and a 365-bay car park.
Mrs MacDonald said the proposed store would not affect the prosperity of the town centre, which is currently undergoing a £500,000 revamp as part of a streetscape scheme.
She added: “I think people in Nairn are excited and enthused about the prospect of Sainsbury’s. The existing shops are not big enough to meet the needs of the people of Nairn.”
A public inquiry to rule on the scheme was called because the size of the proposed store is contrary to the town’s local plan, despite being given approval by Highland Council.