Demolition begins to remove eyesore Dundee shops after ‘£30k bill’ stand-off

Local residents are "delighted" work is under way.

By James Simpson

November 8 2024, 1:01pm

The former shopping centre is being dismantled. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

Demolition work has begun on a row of shops that have blighted a Dundee street for years.

Inroads to remove the decaying shops at Macalpine Road in Strathmartine are now underway.

Aerial pictures show large parts of the site, near the junction with Camperdown Road, have already been reduced to rubble.

It comes after months of discussions regarding the future of the land between owners Purewal Properties and BT-owned Openreach.

Aerial pictures of the Macalpine Road shops in Dundee. Image: Stephen Pettigrew

A former chemist was among the shops being torn down. Image: Stephen Pettigrew

Work has begun to remove the buildings. Image: Stephen Pettigrew

The decaying shops have been a long-standing issue. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

Rubble on the site. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

The former shops are sealed off to the public. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

The remnants of the shops as seen from the pavement. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

The pair were at an impasse over a reported £30,000 bill to remove cables to demolish the buildings.

Strathmartine councillor Daniel Coleman welcomed the news that work is progressing after months of discussions.

Hope for ‘positive future use’ of Dundee site

He said: “I have long campaigned for action to remove the derelict shop units at the south end of the Macalpine shops.

“They have been a blot on the landscape for years and I have been in regular touch with various parties, including the site owners and the council, about it.

“The ongoing issue that has delayed demolition is the cost of removing and relaying cabling across the site.

Councillor Daniel Coleman is standing outside the derelict former shops — Councillor Daniel Coleman standing outside the disused shops. Image: Daniel Coleman/Facebook.

“I recently held a meeting onsite with Openreach and council building standards officers to discuss matters.

“Following further engagement with the owners of the properties, this resulted in progress with the owners obtaining permission for a demolition warrant.

“The community has long wanted to see this eyesore removed so constituents are delighted to see this finally happen.

“I hope that a positive future use can now be made of this site.”

Elsewhere, demolition work is now under way to demolish the former Bruce Street Child and Family in Dundee.