The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Councillor claims store division will be popular
A controversial ruling that will allow the expansion of one of Fife’s most popular shopping destinations will be a hit with consumers, a councillor has claimed.
Bill Brown, a member of Fife Council’s central area planning committee, described the initial rejection of plans to sub-divide the former Homebase store at Kirkcaldy’s Fife Central Retail Park as “ludicrous”.
Last week, the Scottish Government reporter overturned the planning committee’s decision to refuse the proposals, put forward by the retail park operators Hammerson, to transform the former store into five smaller units.
The committee rejected the application, claiming further expansion could threaten Kirkcaldy’s high street, as well as town centres in Glenrothes and Leven.
However Mr Brown, a Glenrothes councillor, said he was delighted the ruling had been overturned.
“I felt that the argument to refuse permission based on the decline of shopping in high streets and town centres was ludicrous,” he said. “People shop where there are decent shops and parking.
“Most retail businesses prefer to operate where people want to shop and that is why many of them have moved away from traditional high streets and town centres.
“I feel that high streets and town centres need to come up with a plan that will attract people, possibly using art clubs, coffee shops and leisure facilities. There is still a place for these types of shopping areas, but there is a greater need for retail parks.”
Mr Brown was one of a handful of councillors that initially supported Hammerson’s plans for the site when the planning committee met in June.
He added: “Fife needs decent shops and I would be really happy if Glenrothes is able to attract companies like Marks and Spencer to the town.
“However, they don’t need to be based in the Kingdom Centre. Our town centre stretches to St Columbus Church to Fife House and the proposed development near Tullis Russell.”