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SAINSBURY’S MUST NOT ABANDON PERTHSHIRE - WISHART
The Scottish National Party’s Mr Pete Wishart MP, Member of Parliament for Perth and North Perthshire, met with Sainsbury’s supermarket Development Manager, Andrew Sanderson, in the House of Commons this morning (Thursday) to discuss the recent decisions to postpone and abandon Sainsbury's developments in Perthshire.
Speaking following the meeting, Mr Wishart said:
“I had a useful meeting this morning with Sainsbury’s to try and further understand their delaying and abandonment of critical supermarket development in Perthshire in terms of pulling out of plans for a store in Perth and seemingly putting the Pitlochry proposals on ice.
“There is a profound disappointment that these supermarket developments are not taking place and there is a real sense that Sainsbury’s have simply abandoned Perthshire. I do appreciate that there is an evolving supermarket business environment and that Sainsbury’s have their own plan to deliver but a great deal of goodwill and resources was given to Sainsbury’s to develop these sites.
“The Council went out there way to accommodate Sainsbury’s and could not they have been more supportive in helping provide infrastructure which will still have to be progressed. There is also the issue of the vast community consultation that accompanied plans for the Perth site and the expectation and anxieties that came with such a big development.
“The most important issue, however, is the jobs. Several hundred jobs would have been secured on the back of the Perth Sainsbury’s which will not now come to the city.
“Speaking to representatives from Sainsbury’s, there is still a chance that the Pitlochry supermarket will be realised. I hope that Sainsbury’s recognise that they have some obligation to Perthshire and do indeed proceed with this project.
“We in Perthshire have done all we can to accommodate Sainsbury’s - it is now time for them to deliver for Perthshire.”
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