Dundee council say no to Next redevelopment plans

The plans for a new Next Home and Garden store have been rejected by Dundee council. Picture: PA

And they have also rejected controversial proposals for a £3.7 million park and ride facility next to the city’s Riverside Nature Park.

Land Securities , which operates the Kingsway west retail park, was proposing to demolish the existing Pagazzi retail unit at the park and erect two new retail units with mezzanine floor space to pave the way for Next’s first “multi-format” Home and Garden store in Scotland, replacing its existing Home outlet.

The developers argued that the redevelopment would represent a significant investment in Dundee and help improve the city’s position as a major shipping destination.

Officials had recommended the application be approved but the redevelopment was rejected by 15 votes to 13 at last night’s meeting of the council’s development management committee.

At the same meeting councillors rejected the authority’s own plans for a new park and ride facility on Riverside Avenue, providing 410-parking spaces as part of a drive to help cut congestion and improve air quality by offering a car-free integrated network of bus transport links to key locations.

Mike Galloway, the council’s city development director, had recommended approval of the scheme.

He stated in a report to the committee: “The site comprises land created on the northern shore of the Tay Estuary from its past use as a landfill site. The section of the landfill that overlaps with the site was closed in 1996, and the site was subsequently remediated and now forms part of Riverside Nature Park, which was officially opened in 2011.

“The opinion of the Council is that the development is not likely to have ‘significant effect’ on the environment by virtue of its nature, size or location. Dundee Civic Trust have written to the council to advise that the Trust are fully supportive of the principle of the Park and Ride and its objectives of promoting the use of public transport and reducing congestion and pollution and agree that that this appears to be a suitable

location for such a facility.”

The report added:”If approved, the site has the potential to serve a multi-purpose role. It has the potential to provide car parking for the Nature Park, overspill for Ninewells Hospital, additional airport parking and parking for a relocated Invergowrie Rail Station. The development will also complement the City’s Waterfront development, including the V&A at Dundee, as many car trip visitors are likely to arrive from the west, this facility will give them an excellent off site travel alternative option especially for those unfamiliar with the city.”

The scheme. however, was rejected when Councillor David Bowes, the committee convener filed to find a seconded when he recommended the park and ride facility be approved.