Arbroath will get a supermarket at the Westway Retail Park, following a 14-year wait for planning permission.
The new store, rumoured to be Asda, will be adjacent to existing fast food outlets and it is understood work on the project could begin as early as June.
The move has attracted criticism from the Angus branch of the Federation of Small Businesses, which fears adding another supermarket to the Tesco and Morrisons already in the town could cripple independent retailers.
However, an application to build a new road and associated landscaping has already been passed by the council’s development standards committee.
Charles Goodall of the FSB said, “Arbroath already has two major supermarkets, so to put another major store in a town with such a small population makes me wonder if it is going to attract enough people.
“From a small business point of view it will drive more and more people away from the High Street area. Another big question will be whether it is going to have a petrol station.
“Morrisons already sell fuel and there are only one or two independent petrol stations left in the town.”
Mr Goodall also expressed concern over the range of goods the shop would sell, predicting that clothes stores and houseware providers could suffer as well as food retailers.
He said, “From a positive point of view hopefully the development would bring some much-needed jobs to the Arbroath area and the people working here would spend their money in Arbroath.Local business concern”But my concerns would be for the businesses in the Westport and the High Street that would be affected and I would really fear for their survival.”
Proposals for a supermarket at the Westway have been mooted since the late 1990s, however the council’s position was that the area should be used as a retail park rather than accommodate grocery sales.
Arbroath councillor David Fairweather tabled an amendment to that motion, which has now been rubber-stamped by the council.
He said, “Around a year ago I put in an amendment against a council recommendation that a supermarket could not happen at the Westway.
“I am delighted to say that this competent motion to give our much-wanted supermarket at Westway has now been carried, seconded ably by Councillor Bob Spink.
“I am pleased to say that councillors Jim Miller and Peter Nield were helpful in pushing this proposal forward.”
Mr Fairweather also claimed that an announcement on which chain would be opening on the site would be made shortly.
He said, “This much-awaited development will finish our retail park and bring appreciated business and employment, not only into that park but our high street and other areas.
“It will also stop the haemorrhaging of our town residents to Dundee, while encouraging visitors to our town.”
Owner of the Westway site John Carswell of Carswell Properties declined to comment.
McDonald Estates, which The Courier understands is the developer for the project, also declined to comment. Asda had not responded to a request for comment.