DIY and garden store set out for retail park
A major chain is poised to move into Ayr with a giant store and garden centre.
Walls between three units at the Heathfield Retail Park are to be demolished to create a single shopping floor.
Land out the back will be fenced off and turned into a full blown garden centre.
Bosses have to remain tightlipped on commercial grounds, but have lined up the deal.
Park director Alastair Dickie said: “This is a good news story in bad times for retail.
“It will mean Heathfield is completely full again, as we were before March.”
Since Homebase pulled out of Heathfield, B&Q gained free reign as a DIY and home superstore.
That is now set to change as the incoming firm is “new to the area.”
The old Homebase is now Home Bargains and The Food Warehouse.
The new store would be 30,386 square feet. For comparison Ayr B&Q is 41,810 sq ft.
The last occupiers in the three units were Carpetright, Poundworld and Harveys, where the shutters are about to go down.
A statement from Zander Planning said: “The retail park has been the subject of additional vacancies and an application has been submitted to amend the current planning permission.
“This will allow units 2A/2B/3 to be amalgamated to create one unit and for that unit to sell Homeware goods.
“These units are currently vacant and a new tenant has been found to occupy this enlarged unit.
“In addition to requiring a larger unit to meet their operational requirements, a garden centre is also required.
“A garden centre is a normal component within a bulky goods retail park and would operate in a similar way as
B&Q, Homebase and Wickes for example.”
The enlarged unit will lose one of the three entrances and the mezzanine decks will be removed.
A 15.5 foot high fence containing “prison mesh” and razor wire will ring the garden centre to keep out robbers.
Edinburgh-based Ediston own the retail park and have lodged a planning application with South Ayrshire Council for the alterations.
The firm’s Alastair Dickie added: “We are in discussion with a tenant, subject to planning.
“But I can say it is a new retailer to the area.
“Heathfield has had its fair share of administrations and tenants leaving, but we are hoping to get it fully occupational again.
“We have fully refurbished the park and it is now one of the main retail destinations for the area, so long may it continue.”
We have fully refurbished the park and it is now one of the main retail destinations for the area