Demolition plan for former Co-Op building which has set empty since 2012
The long-awaited demolition of a former Co-Op store in the heart of a Fife town is set to get underway.
The premises at Albany Gate at Glenrothes’ Kingdom Centre have sat empty for many years. Along with the adjacent boarded up Forum Hotel building, and the external row of shops, their removal will open up accessibility and change the landscape at the eastern end of the shopping centre.
Fife Council has teamed up with Luxembourg-based Focus Estate Fund, who bought the centre last year, to start work.
The demolition will be supported with a contribution of funding through the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Fund which has been successfully secured by the council to support this initiative.
Councillor Altany Craik, Fife Council's spokesperson for finance, economy and strategic planning, said: “I am delighted that we now have the basis to see these long-standing vacant and derelict buildings demolished and the site cleared. This will be a significant milestone in the ongoing regeneration of the town centre and will help create a more attractive and accessible environment for residents, visitors and businesses.”
Demolition works are due to start shortly and the site will then be landscaped and new paths introduced to improve pedestrian links between North Street and the bus station.
A spokesperson for the Focus Estate Fund, said: “The removal of these long-vacant buildings will significantly improve the eastern gateway to the shopping centre and create a more welcoming environment for shoppers and visitors. This marks a positive step forward in our shared ambition to revitalise Glenrothes town centre.”
Alex Butler, of Estama - asset and property managers of the shopping centre - added: “The dedication and long-term commitment demonstrated by our client, Focus Fund, since acquiring this asset have been and will continue to be truly transformational for the local community, the property, and its retailers. We are proud to play an active role in supporting this positive change and to be part of such an impactful regeneration journey.”
The news marks a major step forward after years of talk of bringing down the Co-Op which closed its doors in 2012.
Built in 1964, it was the main anchor store of the shopping centre and was once a mecca for shoppers.
In 2017, LaSalle Investment Management, the company which formerly looked after the day to day running of the centre, submitted a planning application to tear down the building.