The Mearns Leader reports that the Stonehaven Town Partnership is suggesting the Recreation Grounds should be a supermarket site. The Facebook comments appear to be overwhelmingly negative to the STP's idea.  The Stonehaven Business Association (SBA) has held meetings of its members, and whilst the consensus was that a supermarket was needed there was no agreement on where it would best be sited.

Aberdeenshire Councillors have stated that Mains of Cowie would be there preferred option.  SBA vice chairman Frank Budd seems to have widespread support in saying "Hands of our tourist and recreation areas STP!!". Here in full is the letter he penned in response to the news report.

 

Sir,

I reluctantly write to the Leader, as the issue of the future our Recreation Grounds has again been raised in last week's edition, with the threat of a supermarket replacing theses facilities. Having fought so hard to save the Caravan Park, and put it on a secure footing, this threat to our lovely Northern part of town is disappointing.

This is not a new threat, as the same proponents of this scheme tried the same thing almost ten years ago, and I shall repeat now what I said then. Stonehaven is renowned as a tourist town, and one of the main tourism areas is the stretch from the Cowie village to the River Cowie, taking in the Caravan Park, the Leisure Centre, the Outdoor Pool, the Indoor/Outdoor Bowling, the Tennis Courts and the putting Green, plus various walks, cafes and food facilities.  When the sun shines, it is packed, with almost every square foot of grass and indeed almost every square foot of tarmac occupied by tourists and locals enjoying themselves, and all spending and using the towns superb facilities.

And now, here we have the Stonehaven Town Partnership(of which I am a former Director) proposing planting an ugly, big, modern supermarket right at the entrance to the town in one of the most iconic and photographed locations. There will be articulated lorries, pantechnicons and every type of delivery vehicle arriving at all hours of the day and night, clogging up the access to the town and spoiling what is a beautiful location. The STP talks of relocation of these recreation facilities, but to where? And who will pay almost £2/4million to re-locate them?

For what? We do need a supermarket, and we have two very good proposals, apart from Srewart Milne at Mains of Cowie, with its almost certain 300/400 houses.  The FM Proposal at the Slug Road, and the Strang-Steel proposal at the foot of the Powbear on the Netherley Road are both perfectly capable of providing supermarket facilities, and should with the provision of suitable Public Transport infrastructure be capable of serving the needs of Stonehaven without threatening the viability of the town centre.

The reason they were not recommended by consultants was because of Scottish Government guidelines regarding locations of supermarket facilities, but if we paid heed to all guidelines from our current Administration, we would have wind turbines on every hill in around Stonehaven, instead of every second hill.

It is time our Councillors and planners had another look and had the courage to make a decision on this much needed facility for the town, but not at the expense of the Recreation Grounds.  Hands of our tourist and recreation areas STP!!

Frank Budd
Stonehaven Tourism Group
Stonehaven Business Association

 

We couldn't have said it better ourselves, Frank. Or in the words of East Midland Trains, more or less...