Retail park plans approved despite town centre concerns

Plans to transform a Glenrothes retail park have been approved, despite concern the work will prove the final nail in the coffin for the town centre.

New units will be built at the Saltire Centre, while existing stores such as Homebase and Brantano will be renovated.

An additional 3,085 square metre retail space will be created at the Pentland Park centre.

A hot food takeaway will also be introduced, while parking will be reconfigured and a new access from Caskieberran Road created.

Planning officer William Shand said the park had grown incrementally over time, resulting in an ad hoc design.

No more than 10% of the development would be used for food sales, he added.

Planning permission to reconfigure the site was originally granted in 2005 but work was never started.

An amended application has now been approved for the centre, which is regarded as under-used.

Applicants Episo Boxes GP submitted a retail impact assessment with their application which stated that the development would have a “negligible” impact on Glenrothes town centre.

Mr Shand told members of the Central Fife Planning Committee that the town centre was still sensitive following the economic downturn and was on a slow recovery.

“At the last assessment... there was a vacancy rate of 17% compared to the UK average of 12.1%,” he said.

“Any change may have a greater impact on this town centre in comparison to other town centres which are performing better.”

He added however that the council’s retail consultant had agreed the impact would be no greater than 5% and had no significant concerns about it.

Despite unanimous approval for the application from the committee, Glenrothes councillor Ross Vettraino expressed reservations.

“I’m not sure I welcome this development at all. I see it as another nail in the coffin for the town centre,” he said.