Town centre bosses blast retail project
Scheme‘ would damage town’s existing traders’
Shopping centre bosses have hit back at developers’ claims that a proposed retail scheme at Peel Park is not an attack on the town centre.
London & Scottish Investments (LSI) said last week that their plan to build a £35 million bulky goods park is “complimentary retailing”.
The 125,000 sq ft development would feature seven large retail units, five small retail units and two drive-thru restaurants on land next to the recently approved 89-property housing estate at Redwood Crescent.
But EK, East Kilbride owner Orion believe the park would be a “white elephant” and insisted another retail outlet would cause serious harm to town centre trade.
Orion’s head of retail Richard Low said: “East Kilbride has many retail locations including the town centre, the Village, neighbourhood centres and several bulky goods retail parks and there is no requirement for another retail destination, regardless of the nature of the goods on offer.
“The retail industry is currently in a state of turmoil, with retailers of all sizes facing problems and vacant units appearing across all retail locations within East Kilbride.
“It is our strong belief that this amended proposal for a bulky goods retail park at Redwood Crescent will be a white elephant which will cause serious harm to the existing retail community, including the town centre.
“The spectre of large areas of empty shops in this development and others in EK will seriously damage the town’s reputation.”
LSI development director Bryan Wilson said the retail park would bring 260 jobs and would be significantly beneficial to the town.
But Mr Low said: “In this hugely challenging retail climate the assumption that the Redwood Crescent development will be fully let and produce new jobs is completely unrealistic.
“Empty space in the town centre, coupled with the imminent closure of Homebase and Mothercare at Kingsgate Retail Park, means that the town already has a significant oversupply of retail space so where is the logic in adding even more?
“The claim from the developers that potential occupiers of the retail park could not go to other retail locations in the town is also highly misleading. Of course they can.
“The bottom line is stores will close and jobs will be lost and all of this will be happening whilst consumer spending is falling and economic uncertainty is increasing.”
Mr Low added: “This would be an additional and devastating blow to all other retail locations across the town.”