Morrisons has lodged a planning application to build a £25 million store which could create upwards of 300 jobs in one of the most deprived parts of Fife.
Proposals for a supermarket and petrol station at the derelict B&Q site at Kirkcaldy Esplanade were submitted to Fife Council this week.
It is hoped that 330 local jobs will be created by the store.
Joe Noble, the strategic development director of Macdonald Estates, which formed Invertiel Developments, the group behind the plan, said: ”The Invertiel and Linktown area is consistently in the bottom 15% of Scotland’s Multiple Deprivation Index.
”What people in this area need are jobs and what Kirkcaldy needs is pounds in people’s pockets to spend in the town, and this proposal offers both.”
The scheme could see a 6,369 square metre store, a six-island filling station and a 415-space car park.
The company claims to have the support of residents following a series of public meeting in February.
Mr Noble said: ”Extensive pre-application consultation was undertaken with both Fife Council and the general public, including two public exhibition events held in Philp Hall this year, which saw 99% of visitors indicate their overwhelming support for the plans.”
Morrisons development executive Richard Bakes said: ”Having been overwhelmed by the public support for our plans for the new store at Invertiel, we have submitted a planning request that we feel reflects the wider views of the community.”
Mr Noble added: ”The high level of public support is testament to the economic, physical and social benefits that the project will bring to local residents and I am sure that this will be a factor that the council will take into account when they are considering the application.”
Accident blackspot the Fourways roundabout will be replaced by a traffic light system as part of the plans and improvements will be made to Rope Walk and Seafield Beach.
Mr Bakes it was hoped to ”bring this much-needed facility to the residents of Invertiel by summer 2013”.