Decision reached on plans for new Tobermory Co-op
Plans for a new Co-op supermarket in Tobermory have been approved.
APC Group Ltd applied to Argyll and Bute Council for planning permission for the new store on the Balliscate industrial estate in January of 2026.
The store will not replace the existing Co-op in Tobermory, which was at one time the busiest branch of its size in the UK, but supplement it.
APG Group said that the current store in Main Street, Tobermory was “not sufficiently large” to serve the catchment population as well as the Co-op would like.
No representations, expressing objection or support, were received from the public by the council during the planning process, and the application has now been approved.
Council officers noted that Tobermory only has two convenience stores, the existing Co-op and Tobermory Stores on Main Street, but said that both were too small to serve as a main supermarket, deciding the new store would not cause a conflict in the market.
The council statement on the plans also said that the store would likely be a major boost to the town’s economy.
The store will now be the largest on Mull, and also acts as an outlet for those living on the Ardnamurchan peninsula.
It’s design will incorporate Tobermory’s iconic colourful houses at the back of the building.
A council official said in a handling report: “The existing Co-op store at Main Street in Tobermory extends to approximately 296 square metres with a sales area of 250 square metres and back of house/storage area of 46 square metres.
“The retail statement submitted with this application states that the scale, nature and characteristics of the existing Co-op no longer best serve customers and the store suffers from a variety of constraints, compromising the satisfaction of customers and impacting on the efficient operation of the store.
“The operational deficiencies could not be resolved through the reorganisation of the existing store’s internal layout or through redevelopment or extension of the existing site, due to the constrained nature of the site within a multi-level building and in a densely developed area.
“The application site is located approximately 700 metres from the western edge of the Tobermory town centre, however given the strong pedestrian connections between the application site and the town centre, the application site is considered to be well placed in terms of its relationship with the town centre.
“Given the characteristics of Mull, shoppers would need to travel to the mainland to access a store equivalent to the one that is proposed within this application.
“The submitted retail statement concludes from this that the proposed development would enhance the likelihood of linked trips being carried out by customers, resulting in increased expenditure being retained on the island, with associated benefits for town centre trade and employment.”
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