A DEVELOPER says it has responded to local concerns over its major plans for the outskirts of Saltash.

Quora has submitted a planning application for development of the former Suzuki salesroom site on Gilston Road at Carkeel.

Plans to build a Tesco superstore at the site fell through in 2016.

Now, Home Bargains, Food Warehouse by Iceland, and McDonald’s and Costa drive-throughs are confirmed tenants on the plans.

Saltash Town Council has recommended the scheme as it stands be refused.

Members of the council felt a major concern was the positioning of the McDonald’s at the entrance to the site, where they say there could be insufficient space for queuing vehicles which could lead to traffic backing on to Gilston Road and Callington Road.

The highways development manager at Cornwall Council has said he cannot support the scheme in its current form.

Other concerns raised by town and Cornwall councillors in Saltash include: the impact of the new stores on the town centre; the number of parking spaces provided; the landscaping at the new retail park; and the need for a footbridge between the site and the Lidl store on the other side of Gilston Road.

In a letter to Cornwall Council, a representative of Peacock and Smith, agent for Quora, said: ‘The current scheme will have significantly less impact on Saltash town centre than the approved Tesco scheme, and there will be a 30% reduction in vehicle trips when compared to the Tesco scheme.

‘Benefits include the generation of 165 jobs, and 200 additional jobs during the construction phase. The proposals represent a significant investment in the local area amounting to £13m.

‘The application site has been specifically designed so that the drive through lane takes access from the circulatory aisle and not the main aisle…this removes any potential blocking back or driver confusion.’

Quota says it will provide a Section 106 community benefit contribution of £196,000 to offset the impact on the town centre, and says the new development will ‘claw back’ shoppers who may be spending money in Plymouth.

Quota has stated that it is committed to delivering the retail park development during 2018.