New plans for former Poundstretcher shop in Kirkcaldy High Street empty for seven years

The doors to the former Poundstretcher shop at 66 High Street shut in 2017, and, despite a short lived bid to turn it into a kitchen and bathroom business, the building - which stretches all the way to Thistle Street - is described as “in an extremely poor state of repair.” It also has two upper floors which have been inaccessible for some 15 years.

Now a new planning application has been lodged by Raya Land Developments after it bought the building at auction. It is seeking permission from Fife Council to sub-divide the ground floor to ease the rates burden on any operator, install replacement windows, new entrance door and roller shutters with a view to bringing it back into use.

The company, based in Addlestone, Surrey, had started the restoration process with a pre-application report for possible development as flats. That proved to be unviable, so its focus now is on the ground floor which has been extensively extended over the years, making it one unit for business rates - and that is a major barrier to anyone moving in.

A supporting statement, submitted as part of the planning process, said: “The building in its current form is not viable for use in whole. It is the applicant’s goal to bring the building back into use and an initial step towards this is this planning application.

“It is proposed to sub-divide the ground floor into a more typically sized retail unit accessed off the High Street only. This, alongside decorative and make good repair of this new smaller unit will be a much more appealing option for marketing to a possible retail occupant and bring this High Street facing unit back into use and enliven this currently dead shopfront which, at present appears to be serving as a in store area and is unsightly.”

The reduction in size will also lead to a lower rates burden and it is hoped will quickly bring an occupant.

As the building is in an extremely poor state of repair, a general making safe strip out will also be undertaken - its vandalised fabric removed, linings and partitions assessed and downtaken as part of a general tidy out. There are no plans to change the ground floor from its use as retail.

The owner is reviewing the rear of the property which it hopes to renovate in due course.

The upper floors also do not form part of this application and will only be brought back into use once financially viable. The lack of access is typical of many upper floors of shops along the High Street.

The statement added: “Approval of this sub division will not only bring life back into the High Street, but provide financial support to the owner, offsetting the remaining rates burden associated with the remainder of the empty building. The rates burden is restricting the ability to invest in the property to bring it back into use which is part of the reason why it has remained vacant and derelict for so long. It is hoped permission will be the first step to ending the continued deterioration of this prime town centre site which is which is the direction the property is currently heading in.”

> Poundstretcher closed in 2017 with the loss of nine jobs. The budget store had been in the town centre for around three decades, and more recently was joined by The Pet Hut. Closure came after the retailer said it could not agree suitable terms to renew its lease.