Plans resubmitted at retailers’ request

PLANS to bring three major retailers to the city have been resubmitted to Dundee City Council months after being turned down.

Planning permission was sought in November to build three retail units and one food and drink unit on the site of the former NCR factory, east of Myrekirk Road.

However, planning officers recommended refusal, deeming the scheme contrary to the Local Development Plan’s (LDP) town centre first principle – which states developments that could generate significant footfall should be located in the city centre.

The rejected plans proposed to bring the Food Warehouse – which is owned by the Iceland supermarket chain – and Home Bargains into two of the three retail premises, with Costa Coffee taking up the food and drink outlet. A total of 50 full-time jobs were expected to be created and a £10 million investment was anticipated to go into the local economy.

But developers withdrew the application in March, with a spokesman saying they had been left “scratching our heads” as to what Dundee City Council had planned for the site.

The spokesman said the developers believed they had met the terms of the LDP and the recommended refusal would also put up to 200 construction jobs at risk of not being delivered.

It was also confirmed they had “no plans” to resubmit the application at that time.

However, the firm has told the Tele that continued interest from Home Bargains and the Food Warehouse led to the plans being resubmitted on May 29.

Blair Morrison, for Marketgait Developments, said it would be the “final piece in the jigsaw” for the site.

The nearby Aldi store had faced similar opposition from planners but “has proved to be hugely popular”.

He added: “A Scottish Government Reporter instructed the planners to remove the site from the designated Principal Economic Development Area. While this didn’t go as far as rezoning the site, the Reporter did intimate the land – now tucked between two supermarkets – should not be earmarked for any particular purpose, ensuring future proposals could be determined on their own merits.

“There is little doubt Kingsway West Retail Park will be a commercial centre when the Local Development Plan is reassessed in 2023.”