Councillors disagree over Tesco meeting

COUNCILLORS in Moyle have disagreed over holding a public meeting on the Tesco issue.

The Sinn Fein Chairperson of the local Council, Cllr Cara McShane, said she will be calling a public meeting on the application by Tesco to build a store in Ballycastle.

But Independent councillor Seamus Blaney said the people have already spoken on the issue and he said there is no need for a meeting.

Last week there was a turnout of over 100 people outside Moyle Council's offices and the demonstrators said they want to see Tesco come to a site at Leyland Road.

The majority of Moyle Council supported sending a letter of support to planners to that effect.

Sinn Fein's councillors abstained after the earlier rejection of their proposal for a site at Station Road to be examined.

The Tesco issue has caused huge controversy in Ballycastle in recent years with supporters saying they want a substantial supermarket at Leyland Road with a filling station so they can avail of the competitive prices and avoid having to travel out of town to do their main weekly shopping.

But many businesses in Ballycastle town centre fear a Tesco on the edge of the town centre could have a big impact on their trade and they would like to see a smaller town centre location.

Chairperson McShane said: "It is important that the people of Ballycastle have an opportunity to hear all the arguments over the application.

"I will be organising a public meeting before the end of May and inviting Tesco, the Chamber of Commerce and the Planning authorities to come before the people of Ballycastle and state their case.

"Sinn Fein is not opposed to new businesses and jobs coming into the area but it has to be measured against the greater good of the whole community. Sinn Fin abstained on the vote last night as it was letter of support and it is our view not to endorse letters of support for private developments.

"We will wait until after the public consultation and the full planning application come before making our decision," said Cllr McShane.

Councillor Seamus Blaney described the call for a public meeting into a planning application by Tesco for a new store in Ballycastle as a "waste of time."

Responding to news that Moyle Council chair, Cara McShane, has called for the meeting this month, Cllr. Blaney said the issue had now been settled.

He commented: "The public have spoken. Tesco have spoken and the Council have finally endorsed the application - what else is there to say?

"The Council was only asked to write a letter of support and the task has been done. Sinn Fein were opposed to this proposal for Leyland Road from the start and they attempted to shoehorn Tesco into a site on the Station Road which was completely unworkable.

"Traffic would have been a nightmare there and the only place Tesco want is at Leyland Road.

"I think the public have shown Sinn Fein what people power is all about and I just don't understand why a public meeting."

Planning officer Julie McMath said the Leyland Road application is still under consideration.

She said there were submissions which were both for and against the site but that both sides of the argument will be considered.

Matters which she said will have to be considered will be the planning 'zoning' of the Leyland Road site, Planning Policy Statement 5 (retailing and town centres) and feedback from the planners' Retail Unit at headquarters.

She said anyone wishing to view the file can do so.

Inside the Council chamber at last week's meeting, Leyland Road Tesco supporter Matty McNeill said people want to avail of "cheaper" prices at Tesco than, she claimed, are currently available in Ballycastle.

She said a tin of soup which you could buy for 17 pence in Tesco was costing 68 pence in an outlet in Ballycastle.

Another man, speaking from the public gallery at the Council meeting also focused on the cost of goods.

He said: "If we have Tesco we can afford to feed our families" and he claimed even with paying a taxi fare to bring home the weekly shopping from somewhere like Coleraine it was still cheaper than doing the same 'shop' in Ballycastle.

The current Tesco application is their second bid to get a supermarket at Leyland Road.

A few years ago the supermarket had been refused planning permission for a superstore because it 'would lead to an adverse impact of the vitality and viability of Ballycastle town centre'.

But now Tesco are back with a reduced size of a store and no petrol station.

A 'Facebook' site entitled 'Do you want Tesco in Ballycastle?' had 732 members on Monday of this week.