| Macdonald Estates — which jointly announced plans for a new 89,000 square foot ASDA supermarket at cash machine maker NCR’s former Wester Gourdie manufacturing base last week — said it had been forced to shelve other developments on the site.
An outline planning application for the new business park is to be lodged with Dundee City Council this week, but the Tele understands the plans will include only the supermarket and changes to the area’s road layout.
The other units will now only be considered in a future phase of the development.
Macdonald Estates’ Niall McLean said the company had been forced to “rework” plans because of the slowdown and NCR’s decision to pull out of the city.
NCR had planned to build a small plant in the new park, but a spokesperson for the company confirmed it would now have no part in the new scheme.
“The original masterplan included a new facility for NCR with some additional retail space and a hotel,” Mr McLean said. “In the face of NCR’s announcement last November what we’ve had to do is rework that.
“It’s extremely difficult in the retail sector just now so that part is going to have to be one for another day.
“ASDA are there and want to get on with it. That development — the first phase, if you like — will be used to service the rest of the site and provide subsequent funds for the rest of it.”
But Mr McLean said work on the supermarket would help the rest of the development by improving access arrangements and making the rest of the site “shovel-ready” for a second phase.
“We’ve come forward with outline proposals which may well still include the hotel and retailing — but it’s not going to be in this phase,” he said.
“Rather than do it in one — which was the plan in happier times — the first phase is going to facilitate the rest of the development.”
The road layout will face significant changes to improve access to the site for traffic, public transport and pedestrians.
Macdonald Estates will negotiate with trunk roads operator Bear Scotland and the city council over alterations to the Kingsway West at its junction with Myrekirk Road, Mr McLean said.
He said he was “confident” the developer had found a solution that would be acceptable to both bodies.
“The access and roads network is going to be the key thing,” he said. “The Kingsway underpass will stay, but we’ll provide greatly improved pedestrian access to the site.
“I think we have come up with something that can satisfy both parties, and we’ll start discussions the council and the trunk roads operator next week.”
The ASDA store is expected to cost in the region of £24 million and create 480 full and part-time jobs.
If planning permission is granted,work could begin early next year.
The Wester Gourdie industrial estate is earmarked for industrial and business development under the city council’s local plan.
But a city council spokesman said the planning and transportation committee could choose to set aside that designation if it were satisfied other considerations justified such a move. |
