Shops refusal is "a blow to Inverness economy"
A BUSINESSMAN believes his plan for two new shops at facility-starved Milton of Leys could have triggered commercial investment in the area worth up to £4 million a year.
A district centre near the area’s new primary school has already received planning permission but needs tenants such as Sanjay Majhu, who planned to open a chemist and convenience store.
The Inverness Courier reported on Friday the £400,000 scheme would have seen at least 10 jobs created but it was blocked by an NHS Highland committee after Tesco, along with pharmaceutical chain Rowlands, objected to the chemists, arguing their own stores at Inshes and Hilton’s Balloan Park were sufficient to meet local demand.
“It would have been an unbelievable catalyst for the area,” said Mr Majhu, who already operates chemists in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
“That neighbourhood has lost a huge economy of scale worth between £3 million and £4 million per year because of this, as well as probably in the region of about 70 jobs that would have fed off that neighbourhood centre.”
NHS Highland — which must approve new pharmacies — agreed with the national companies a new chemist was not required.
The refusal this month was particularly controversial because its pharmacy practices committee initially approved the businessman’s plan last December, but lay members voted against it after an appeal from Rowlands placed it back in their hands.
“I don’t feel let down by Tesco or Rowlands, I feel let down by the panel and I believe they are more to blame because they made the decision,” Mr Majhu said.
“The panel members had all the power in the world to grant what was right for that community but they didn’t do it for reasons I don’t understand.”
He is still considering the future of his project, but feels the convenience store alone is not viable given competition from Tesco and the soon-to-be-completed Asda at Slackbuie.
NHS Highland explained the committee concluded a new pharmacy was not necessary because there was no clear demonstration of inadequate provision of pharmaceutical services in Milton of Leys.
Related article:
New shops in Inverness opposed by Tesco