A £41 million supermarket and 450 jobs planned for Perth will be put on hold due to a legal challenge, The Courier can exclusively reveal.
It has been confirmed that Tesco has submitted an appeal at the Court of Session in Edinburgh against Perth and Kinross Council’s decision to allow Sainsbury’s to start work on the former Perth Mart site on Crieff Road, prior to vital roadworks taking place on the A9/A85.
The move is a huge blow to Sainsbury’s as it means work will not now begin at the site for at least six months.
Planning permission was granted in May 2012 and work was due to start next month, with the store to open its doors in spring 2015, creating around 450 jobs.
In November last year Tesco first attempted to block the development, which will take shape within sight of its largest Perth store.
The company lodged an unsuccessful 11th-hour bid to the local authority’s development management committee to ask it to reconsider its decision to allow Sainsbury’s to proceed with its supermarket before major transportation improvements on the adjacent road network.
Tesco previously told council members that the transportation network around Crieff Road and western Perth was already “highly congested”.
A Tesco spokesman explained the reasons behind its latest legal challenge to the development.
The spokesman said: “We’re concerned that the Sainsbury’s superstore could open without any contract in place for the new junction on the A9/A85. Without the new junction there is a real risk of gridlock on the Crieff Road.
“Our challenge relates to the A9/A85 junction. Tesco did not challenge when there was a link in the Section 75 agreement between the Sainsbury’s store and the junction contract.
“Now that the link has been removed Sainsbury’s could open on a permanent basis without the junction.”
The council stated: “We can confirm that Tesco have lodged a petition of judicial review in the Court of Session which challenges a decision of the council’s development management committee.
“The matter is scheduled to be heard in May and the council is intending to defend the action.”
Sainsbury’s said it was “disappointed” by the move, adding: “This is likely to mean that our proposed investment and job creation in Perth will be delayed.
“However… Sainsbury’s is committed to Perth and look forward to bringing forward our foodstore proposals.”