The developer behind a scheme to bring Marks & Spencer’s Simply Food and Premier Inn to St Andrews has offered to provide £277,000 to Fife Council for employment opportunities and to help provide alternative, sustainable facilities should other parties wish to progress these.
This has been emphasised by Ashleigh (St Andrews) Ltd, as a leading Fife food producer yesterday warned the decision by the board of St Andrews Abattoir to close on July 12 before a new slaughterhouse facility is up and running is the “worst scenario for everyone”.
Henry Cheape, who owns the Balgove Larder at Strathtyrum Estate on the edge of St Andrews, told The Courier he believes the decision is “breathtakingly bad”.
This, he said, was particularly so when the applicant who wanted to develop the site had withdrawn its application pending a resubmission but had not, he said, demonstrated how alternative facilities could be provided as a replacement, in line with planning guidelines.
The abattoir’s present owners say they cannot keep the business running. St Andrews Abattoir has stated that due to food standards requirements, a significant amount of money is required to bring the buildings up to industry standards and “regrettably the business simply cannot sustain these costs.”
The announcement came as Ashleigh (St Andrews) Ltd confirmed it remains fully committed to the development, despite withdrawing a planning application for the site this week.
Council planners had earlier advised against the demolition of the abattoir, following a warning that its loss would destroy the rural economy and lead to the loss of employment land.
But Mr Cheape, who had offered to take over the abattoir on a not-for-profit basis until a new facility serving the area’s food producers had been established in Fife or Forfar, said it is the “worst scenario for everyone”.
He said: “The abattoir closing will see the staff losing their jobs. The continuity of the business will be gone forever. The site itself will become a liability and the owners will have to ensure that nobody breaks in and there are no fires.
“The only way they’ll get permission is if they can demonstrate that they are working to get an alternative abattoir. It’s all about the protection of employment land. It’s breathtaking how badly the developer has been advised. It’s a terrible decision.”
Mr Cheape said unless an alternative local facility was found within weeks, closure of the abattoir would be “devastating” to local food producers, who would see their “green mile” costs rocket.
He added: “We are working very hard on localism, to get all things done locally. This is the complete opposite.”
Gordon Young, chairman of St Andrews Abattoir, warned Fife Council in April that the abattoir would close within three months. He said a recent building survey carried out by a local surveying company at the property confirmed the worst.
He said the overall fabric of the buildings is “well past its useful economic life”, with significant works required to the roofs, walls and flooring throughout.
Mr Young also said that kill numbers at St Andrews Abattoir have been falling year on year.
Ashleigh (St Andrews) Ltd said it withdrew its M&S/Premier Inn application this week to allow the developer to clarify points raised in Fife Council’s committee paper, which recommended refusal.
As soon as this exercise has been completed a new application will definitely be resubmitted, it stated. A spokesman said: “The development will see a derelict and unsightly site brought into active use, creating far more jobs than would be the case if the site were to continue in its existing use or be developed for an alternative employment use.”