‘More local occupier’ sought for city centre site

THE owners of a Dundee city centre plot once ravaged by fire have said they will sell the site after leaving it derelict for more than two years.

The site, at 17-23 Murraygate, which last hosted a temporary Christmas shop, was gutted by a blaze i n December 2014 and later demolished.

Northumberland Estates, which owns the plot, told the Tele that development had been put on hold despite planning permission being granted to redevelop it in January last year.

Michael O’Driscoll, senior asset manager at the Newcastle-based firm, said a decision had been taken “after some consideration” to sell it to a more local owner.

“We’ve decided to sell the site because we are based in Newcastle — it’s too far away for us to manage,” he said. “Our properties are predominantly in the north-east of England, and we’ve got the odd bit in the southeast, but we employ asset managers to look after those.

“We don’t have any asset managers like that in Scotland, and this was our only site in Scotland.”

After the building was demolished, Northumberland Estates submitted an application to build a three-storey retail unit on the High Street in its place, which was passed by planning officers.

That permission will remain with the site until roughly January 2019, and Mr O’Driscoll added that he believed the site could have potential in the right hands.

He said: “We want to see something happening here.

“It has the benefit of planning confirmation already, but we’re just waiting for a more local occupier.”

The Murraygate site will be auctioned through SVA Property Auctions on June 22.