Gym plans for retail park

AMBITIOUS PLANS to transform a large retail unit into a gym and restaurant have been unveiled.

The owner of St Catherine’s Retail Park North intends to expand the building currently occupied by Currys and provide a base for several new tenants.

It is understood that EPISO Boxes LP has already attracted interest in the development.

Meanwhile, electrical giant Currys is expected to share a unit with PC World, which is based elsewhere in the retail park.

Plans lodged with Perth and Kinross Council reveal that the large building will be divided into three new units, while an extension will be added with room for a further two units.

These will be used for a gym, a restaurant and a retail outlet.

Meanwhile, as part of the ongoing redevelopment of St Catherine’s Retail Park, another national chain store will take on an empty unit.

Bensons for Beds has submitted an application to display signs at unit 2B, next door to the new Maplin store which opens later this month.

For the last few months, work has been ongoing to upgrade the dated buildings within the retail park, which was built in the 1980s, and it is hoped that more high-profile businesses will be attracted to Perth.

There are also plans to widen the scope of goods that can be sold in the park.

An application has previously been lodged with the local authority to modify the existing planning consent on one of the units — the former premises of MFI — which have lain empty for several years.

The council agreed to relax the strict criteria that had been imposed on the properties, specifically to allow the sale of convenience goods including food.

Planning and development consultants Muir Smith Evans, who are acting as agents for Episo Boxes GP Ltd, submitted a detailed proposal calling for the changes.

They revealed that a specific retailer was interested in taking on the unit and that their client was close to concluding “significant” new lettings, which will help continue the drive to regenerate the area.

There are also plans to sub-divide the old B&Q store into five new units. Scone Old Parish Church congregations will give a warm welcome to the Rev Bob Sloan tomorrow.

Mr Sloan will conduct the services at 9.30am at St David’s Stormontfield and at 11am in Scone Old Parish Church.

After the service, tea and coffee will be served in the Burnside Hall.

Picture: Steve MacDougall. Ambitious plans have been lodged for the Currys building at St Catherine’s Retail Park in Perth.