Green light for new Fife Sainsbury's store

The retailer had applied for permission to change the use of the former Homebase store in the Saltire Retail Park in Glenrothes to allow it to be turned into a supermarket with a click-and-collect retail facility.

In a planning statement, agents for Sainsbury’s said the new store would generate up to 100 new jobs and would open from 7am until midnight Monday to Saturday and 8am to 8pm on Sundays and bank holidays.

It added: “Currently, Sainsbury’s is not represented in Glenrothes, and the opportunity to open a new store in the existing Homebase unit will bring Sainsbury’s quality and value food offering to the area, along with an instore Argos collection area.

“The proposal will enhance convenience for shoppers, foster healthy competition, increase consumer choice, and contribute positively to the local economy.”

Fife Council planners said two objections had been lodged, one from Morrisons supermarket and another from Focus Fund who argued that the proposal conflicted with the town centre first policy.

They stated: “Both objectors maintain that there is no identified quantitative or qualitative need for additional convenience retail floorspace in Glenrothes, having regard to the Fife Retail Capacity Study, and that the retail impact assessment underestimates the likely diversion of trade from the town centre and edge-of-centre food stores, thereby posing a significant risk to the vitality and viability of the town centre.

“The Focus Fund objection further submits that the proposal would prejudice planned and emerging town centre regeneration, particularly the Albany Gate redevelopment, undermine investment confidence, increase car-based travel contrary to sustainable transport and local living objectives, and conflict with a range of NPF4 policies relating to climate, placemaking and sustainable centres.

“The objections received have been carefully considered but are not considered to identify any substantive deficiency in the applicant’s assessments or any material conflict with the Development Plan that would justify refusal of planning permission. “

Approving the application, they added: “The proposal would also secure the productive reuse of a long-vacant building, improve consumer choice, enhance access to food shopping provision for communities in the south and west of Glenrothes, and support local living objectives from an accessible and sustainable location.

“Having regard to the Development Plan as a whole, the consultation responses and all other material considerations, it is concluded that the proposal represents an acceptable form of development and that planning permission should be granted.”