Tesco divides Council again

Seven councillors - made up of all the Sinn Fein and SDLP representatives - voted not to send a letter of support to planners for the Tesco application at that location.

Five councillors - the two DUP councillors who were present along with three Independent councillors Seamus Blaney, Randal McDonnell and Price McConaghy - voted to support Tesco's application.

After the vote, Vice-Chairperson, Cllr Robert McIlroy (DUP), said it would be interesting to see what the reaction of local people is to the decision.

Councillors were told that Tesco was seeking the support of Council given that in its response to the Northern Area Plan in 2005 Moyle Council said land at Leyland Road should be made available for a Tesco store.

But at last night's meeting, Paudie McShane (Sinn Fein) made remarks about advice the Council was given in 2005 and he said the Leyland Road scheme should not be supported.

Cllr Catherine McCambridge (SDLP) said a Tesco store at Leyland Road would be the "deathknell of the charming character of Ballycastle" town centre shopping area and said that even without Tesco town centre shops are closing every few months at the moment.

"The streets are starting to look a bit sad and an out of town site is not what Ballycastle needs," and she said she no longer wished to be associated with the Council's 2005 position.

A member of the public said he lives near the proposed Leyland Road site and he says people in the vicinity are against a Tesco store.

But Ballycastle Independent councillor Seamus Blaney said at the moment many people leave Ballycastle to travel to shop in Tesco in Ballymoney and Coleraine and he said the people of the area should be asked for their opinions.

Cllr McIlroy said it is important that local money is kept in Moyle and he said if councillors turned their backs on Tesco they were "doing a great dis-service to the ratepayers of Moyle. I think it is disgraceful."

A number of councillors are believed not to be against a Tesco store coming to a 'more central' site in Ballycastle and there will be renewed speculation about Tesco coming to Station Road given that the future of the Roads Service site there is in question.

In the past Tesco ruled it out as unsuitable but it remains to be seen if it will be revisited if the Leyland Road option fails.

Cllr Randal McDonnell questioned Leyland Road being described as "out of town" and said it was "up a street".

After the meeting, Councillor Paudie Mc Shane said his party was committed to supporting the need for consumer choice, both indigenous and new, in Ballycastle as demanded by the local community.

"Ballycastle needs to develop commercially along the lines demanded by the local consumer if it is grow and prosper into the future. Indigenous local business must be complemented by new retail choice, ensuring that maximum retail spend is conducted in Ballycastle. Furthermore, new retail choice delivered from whatever quarter, must be subject to the Department of Social Development guidelines on location. This will ensure fairness for all involved in commerce and maximise competition for the consumer locally to avail of."