THE prospects of a supermarket being located on industrial land in Edinburgh Road, Jedburgh, were finally extinguished today (Monday).
After a 40-minute debate, the planning committee of Scottish Borders Council voted 9-2 to reject the bid by developers Crabtree & Crabtree to erect a 1,300 sq. metre retail outlet at the former Oregon Timber Frame site, which has been vacant for six years, on the northern outskirts of the town.
The rebuff was even more emphatic than the 8-4 vote which scuppered the proposal in October last year.
Senior planning officer John Hayward said the application was “virtually identical” to the previous bid, although he conceded that there was now more public support for the venture.
But he insisted nothing had changed with regard to SBC’s policy on preserving employment land from non-retail uses and retaining the vitality of the town centre which, he stated, would be adversely impacted by the proposed development.
Around 10 Jedburgh residents attended the meeting after which, Dot Millar, of the pro-application Voice and Choice campaign, slammed the committee’s decision.
“This could have stemmed the flood of Jedburgh shoppers going to other towns,” she said. “The 100 full and part-time jobs which this would have created would have helped stop the exodus of young people who are leaving Jedburgh in search of work.”