Something in the air? Bishopbriggs campaigners fear there will be...

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a new supermarket in a busy town centre will increase air pollution problems, it was claimed this week.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Aug 2012, 16:18 BST

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That’s the view of Bishopbriggs Town Team, who have raised concerns about plans for a new Morrisons store on the site of the former Bishopbriggs High School site.

The group says the newstore, which is believed to be 75 per cent larger than the current Morrisons in the town, is too big for Bishopbriggs, and will increase traffic and pollution problems in the town centre.

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Bishopbriggs Cross and Kirkintilloch Road have previously been identified as hotspots for bad air pollution by Audit Scotland.

The town team has written to Morrisons chief executive Dalton Philips about its concerns.

It has also asked him to reconsider the size of the planned superstore.

A spokesperson for the town team said: “The pollution problems in Bishopbriggs are already significant and there will be bigger problems when this store is built.

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“People in Bishopbriggs don’t need a store that is almost twice the size of their current one and we feel that traffic will increase by a significant amount.

“We have written to Morrisons’ chief executive.

“We want to make sure he is aware that this store is going to be so much bigger and it is something people are concerned about.

“We are hoping that the planning application has been delayed, because Morrisons are taking people’s real concerns, particularly about the size of the store, into account.”

Morrisons’ plans received a mixed reaction when they were exhibited at Woodhill Evangelical Church, in May.

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The displayed plans included a 60,000 sq ft store, a petrol station, community hub, medical centre and civic space.

The retail giant is currently finalising plans for the new store.

A planning application is expected to be submitted later this month.

A spokesperson for Morrisons said: “We believe any increase [in pollution] will be mitigated by East Dunbartonshire Council building the new link road.

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“We have looked carefully at the optimum size (for the store) and we believe this is perfect to the town and for our new Fresh Format.”

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Related topics:MorrisonsPeople