Parking charges may be introduced in a large part of Glenrothes town centre, under major proposals for a new Tesco supermarket.
Members of Fife Council’s central planning committee will meet to discuss plans that could see visitors to the town’s main shopping precinct pay to park their vehicles, a first for the town.
Tesco would use a ticketing system to charge motorists to park outside the proposed store in North Street, although existing car parks in the area are likely to remain free of charge.
The move has been met with disappointment by councillors, although there is an acceptance that it may be the price to pay in an effort to rejuvenate the town centre.
While welcoming Tesco’s plans for the town, SNP councillor Bill Brown said that charging could deter shoppers.
“I don’t think it will be welcomed by people,” he said. “I don’t know if Tesco charge for parking anywhere else so I’m not sure why they would in Glenrothes.
“It may well put people off going to Tesco. Shopping is all about choice and people will go where the best deals are and if they can park for free somewhere else then they may do that.”
Labour councillor Ian Sloan added: “I would hope that Glenrothes can continue to offer free parking. We are working hard to develop the town centre area and obviously one of the assets of that is having free parking.”
Shoppers who visit the Kingdom Shopping Centre and surrounding areas are granted free parking for an initial three-hour period, meaning most never pay a penny.
The only time drivers incur charges is for long-term parking, which costs a nominal fee of £1.
Tesco’s plans to introduce fees at its car park would signal a significant change for Glenrothes shoppers and could lead to congestion in the existing town centre car parks, where charging is expected to remain free.
Initial permission for the store was granted in May, although concerns were expressed about a small number of details, primarily that of car park management.
Tesco had wished to install barriers that would require shoppers to have their parking validated by the supermarket, a system councillors found unacceptable, claiming that the company would have control over a significant amount of town centre parking.
The company previously told Fife Council that erecting parking barriers was an essential part of its application and that it could even walk away should this not be allowed.
It would appear that the installation of ticket machines as a compromise is one that both parties are willing to accept in order to help regenerate the wider town centre.
A report prepared for members by planning officer Elspeth Cook recommends approval of the proposals, stating that the alterations to the plans have “no significant effect on the nature of the application”.
After the meeting in May, a Tesco spokesperson reiterated the company’s commitment to building in Glenrothes, stating: “We are pleased with the general feeling of councillors and we are committed to the regeneration of the town centre.”
Tesco believes that a Glenrothes store would create in the region of 400 jobs.