THIRD KIRRIE SUPERMARKET PROPOSAL ON THE TABLE
THERE are now not one, not two, but three proposals sitting on the Angus Council table with regard to new supermarket provision in Kirriemuir.
Following hot on the heels of the recent application from Guild Homes (Tayside) Limited for a site at Pathhead, as well as a proposal from Macdonald Estates plc. and Muirhead Estates plc. for a site to the south of Beechwood Place, news broke on Monday of a 10 million project to re-develop the Gairie Works in the centre of Kirriemuir to create a retail development and some 200 jobs in the town.
At a press conference in the J. & D. Wilkie head office in Bellies' Brae, Mark Cummings, a spokesperson for the Edinburgh-based Scottish development company CW Properties, revealed an outline planning application for the redevelopment of the Gairie Works site, with support from J. & D. Wilkie, was submitted to Angus Council last Friday.
The proposal would also allow the creation of new office accommodation at the Kirriemuir company's adjacent factory at Marywell Brae.
Announcing the news, Mr Cummings said: "This is not negative but is very positive for the company and the future of Kirriemuir."
He stated that, if given the go-ahead, the development could be delivered in 12 to 18 months and full consultation will be carried out by the developer and the local community.
Mr Bob Low, managing director of J. & D. Wilkie, stated during a tour of the factory that, if planning approval for the redevelopment of the existing Gairie Works factory site is granted, it would allow for the much needed reconfiguration of J & D Wilkie's operations.
Buoyant
He added business was picking up following a period of reduced working hours and, if the application is successful, the move to one site should help make the future more "buoyant."
Currently the Gairie Works is being wholly under utilised, with the factory building to the front of the site currently lying vacant.
The company would locate in their premises to the rear of the site and thereby secure their future presence in the town for years come.
Since the 19th Century, J. & D. Wilkie Limited, a privately owned global textile manufacturing company, have been based in Kirriemuir.
The establishment of J. & D. Wilkie by James and David Wilkie in 1868 provided local employment and as a result Kirriemuir began to expand.
For the last 140 years, the company has continued to play an invaluable role in the community, providing significant employment for local people. Currently J. & D. Wilkie retain a workforce in excess of 80 employees at their manufacturing plant and headquarters in Kirriemuir.
The vast majority of these employees are local to the area and have been with the company for many years.
In April 2009, supplementary to the local plan, Angus Council approved a planning brief for the Gairie Works, which is currently at the consultation stage.
This planning brief identifies Gairie Works as suitable for retail purposes due to the large size of the site and its close proximity to the town centre.
CWP hope to provide Kirriemuir with a medium-sized supermarket on the site, which will improve retail provision for Kirriemuir, crucially retaining expenditure within the town centre.
They state they are responding to customers' needs and that a new supermarket in Kirriemuir would provide choice and quality for local shoppers, most of whom currently are forced to shop in other Angus towns or Dundee.
Company's future
Commenting on the proposed future development at Gairie Works, Michael Rowan, chairman of J. & D. Wilkie, said: "We are hopeful that the planning application submitted by CWP and supported by us will be approved by Angus Council as the current factory at the Gairie Works site is currently largely redundant and underused by our business.
"Being able to sell the site and fully relocate to the east factory at Marywell Brae is an incredibly important step in securing our company's future in Kirriemuir.
"J. & D. Wilkie has seen a lot of changes through the years and we operate in a highly competitive market. We view this as a major opportunity to reinvest in our estate and secure our future in Kirriemuir.
"This opportunity would hugely benefit both our business and the local economy. We hope it will find favour with the people of Kirriemuir.
"If this application falls through then I will be interested to see what we do with this site - it will fall to bits if something doesn't happen, but it won't affect J & D Wilkie."
CWP have demonstrated their commitment to the local business by drawing up a legal contract to purchase the 3.7 acre site from J. & D. Wilkie.
If planning is approved by Angus Council, it is likely that a major retail operator will purchase the 35,000 sq ft site for the development of a town centre supermarket, ensuring that development is in keeping with the existing visual appearance of the site.
This potential retail development would provide further significant employment opportunities for the local area with up to 200 new jobs likely to be created, whilst also anchoring the existing town centre.
Over the next few months CWP and J. & D. Wilkie will engage with the local community by convening local presentations and a public exhibition to further explain their proposals for the future of the Gairie Works in Kirriemuir.
Mr Cummings added it was hoped the successful applicant for a new supermarket in Kirriemuir would be decided by the end of the current calendar year.
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Weather for Kirriemuir
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Heavy sleet showers
Temperature: -1 C to 5 C
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