The developer behind a bid to bring a Marks & Spencer Simply Food and Premier Inn to the site of the derelict St Andrews abattoir has stated it hopes to obtain consent from Fife Council as soon as possible.
Ashleigh (St Andrews) Ltd has been in talks with Fife Council since spring last year and is keen for the local authority to approve a consent to the proposed scheme so work on the development can commence without delay.
Brian Robinson, of Ashleigh (St Andrews) Ltd, said: “Following our public consultation and detailed discussions with both the St Andrews public and the council, everything is now in place to start work on the proposed development.
“Achieving a consent prior to the end of the year would mean that we could start building the scheme in March, with the M&S open and trading before the end of 2014. The Premier Inn would be completed shortly thereafter.
“The site currently contains a number of derelict, industrial-style buildings which are ready to collapse and are no longer economically viable. As acknowledged and accepted by Fife Council, this site no longer stacks up financially for industrial use.
“The M&S Simply Food & Premier Inn is a deliverable development for the town and will avoid the site sitting derelict and potentially dangerous for the foreseeable future.”
Mr Robinson said the adopted Local Plan safeguards the area for employment uses and includes among other uses shops, a funeral director, auction house, garden centre and car showroom. Against this background, he said, the new M&S Simply Food & Premier Inn “sit well” with the existing uses and will create 100 full-time and part-time positions with a combined wage bill of around £1,000,000 per annum.
Mr Robinson addressed concerns the new development would detract from St Andrews town centre. “This is simply not the case, as the development will retain spend within St Andrews and will encourage them to shop in the town and help avoid people shopping in an M&S elsewhere, which is what happens at the moment.
“The Premier Inn will fill a vital gap in the market for hotel accommodation in St Andrews. Both M&S and Premier Inn have been trying to secure a site in St Andrews for a number of years and this site is the only one which suits their needs,” he said.
He said the development at Largo Road fits with current Scottish planning policy, which is to promote economic growth through sustainable development.
In June, an identical application from the same developer to demolish the abattoir and build a hotel/foodstore was withdrawn just hours before it was to be considered by councillors.
Council planners had earlier advised against the demolition of the abattoir, following a warning that its loss would destroy the rural economy. Concerns had also been raised about extra traffic, with bed and breakfast operators particularly concerned about competition from a mid-market hotel.
But the owners of the abattoir went ahead with their pledge to shut down the abattoir on July 12 and the site has lain derelict since. This new planning application was lodged by Ashleigh shortly after.
Mr Robinson added: “The farming lobby were sorry to see the loss of an abattoir but it was financially unviable even before we became involved and so this is a separate issue. No proposed development ever gets unequivocal support but we believe the vast majority of people in St Andrews want to see the development go ahead.”
A departure hearing is scheduled to take place next Thursday evening.