GVA James Barr

GVA James Barr A Bilfinger Real Estate company ReportReport Report GVA James Barr Quayside House 127 Fountainbridge Edinburgh EH3 9QG Representations to the Fife LDP: Proposed Plan (December 2014) On behalf of EPISO Boxes GP December 2014 gva.co.uk/scotland EPISO Boxes GP Contents CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 3 2. EPISO BOXES GP: OVERVIEW AND DEVELOPMENT INTENTIONS .................................... 4 3. PROPOSED PLAN RESPONSE.............................................................................................. 7 4. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................ 11 Appendix 1: Supporting Legal Opinion by Maclay Murray & Spens LLP P:\OFFICE\PLANNING\CURRENT JOBS\PRADERA Project Whyte\Reports\LDP\141205 Fife LDP Proposed Plan Reps - Final.docx December 2014 2 gva.co.uk EPISO Boxes GP Representations to the Fife LDP – Proposed Plan 1. Introduction 1.1 This representation is submitted on behalf of EPISO Boxes GP in respect of the consolidated Fife Council Local Development Plan (LDP) Proposed Plan, December 2014 (hereafter referred to as the PP). 1.2 EPISO Boxes GP, own the Saltire Retail Park (SRP), which is positioned to the south of the Glenrothes urban area. The site extends to 15.6 acres (6.3 hectares) and accommodates 8 purpose built retail warehouse buildings. Current occupiers include Brantano, Homebase, Matalan, Carpet right, The Bed Shed and Poundstretcher, who recently opened within the former Focus DIY unit. Two of the retail sheds are currently vacant. In total, the Park comprises around 145,389 sq ft of Class 1 retail floorspace with over 490 car parking spaces. 1.3 The SRP represents, alongside the Kingdom Shopping Centre, the major retailing destinations for comparison goods shopping within the town. The Park is defined as a ‘commercial centre’, in recognition of its important role in Glenrothes’ retail hierarchy. This undoubtedly helps to retain non-food expenditure within the local catchment area, to the benefit of the wider town , whilst increasing the probability of linked trips with the town centre. This would otherwise be lost to competing destinations elsewhere in Fife, such as Fife Central Retail Park near Kirkcaldy, and leading to the proliferation of unsustainable shopping patterns in contravention of national policy. 1.4 Accordingly, it is forwarded the SRP will continue to play a key role in the future success of Glenrothes as an attractive location to undertake comparison shopping. Furthermore, our client;s intention to invest and modernise the park in the near future, will ensure the continuation of this valuable contribution. 1.5 Given the context above, this report has been set out in the following chapters; Section 2 sets out the background to the asset and our clients’ current redevelopment intentions for the park. Section 3 focuses on the response to the PP and finishes with a set of conclusions and requested amendments to the Plan. December 2014 3 gva.co.uk EPISO Boxes GP Representations to the Fife LDP – Proposed Plan 2. EPISO Boxes GP: Overview and Development Intentions 2.1 This section provides the context to our client’s asset at Saltire Retail Park and also sets out the proposals they intend to take forward to transform the area in the near future. Background & Planning Context 2.2 EPISO Boxes acquired the Retail Park in late 2010 from Glenrothes LLP, whilst expanding their retail park portfolio across the UK, with Pradera UK managing the asset. 2.3 Pradera operate on behalf of a number of retail property funds across Europe that invest in commercial assets, including shopping centres and retail warehouse parks. The business currently manages over 60 of these within the continent, with 20 in the UK, and has invested significantly in recent years to modernise their parks in locations such as Perth and Kilmarnock. 2.4 Since originally opening in 1988, the SRP has been a significant shopping location within Glenrothes, being the principal location in the town that can provide large warehouse units for retailing purposes. The presence of these types of operators within the town provides the population with convenient access to a range of larger scale unit shops, which cannot traditionally be accommodated within a town centre location due to physical and business operational reasons. 2.5 Since the first permission, the park has evolved over time under a range of planning consents to expand the offer, scale and type of retailing uses that are now available. 2.6 The most recent consent relating to the site is an outline outline planning permission, reference 04/03826/COPP, which was granted by Fife Council in 2005. This permission was for: “Outline Planning Permission to reconfigure existing retail park, form additional 3,085sqm retail space, hot food takeaway, reconfigured access, parking and servicing arrangements” 2.7 Two reserved matters permissions were subsequently granted bringing forward two options for the detailed layout and design of the units. The second reserved matters approval was granted on 9 May 2007. December 2014 4 gva.co.uk EPISO Boxes GP Representations to the Fife LDP – Proposed Plan 2.8 We are aware that pre-commencement planning conditions were purified and the permission then implemented prior to its expiry in 2010. No further action to complete the development works have occurred since this time. 2.9 The outline permission referenced above incorporated only one planning condition to control the form and scale of retail use permitted. This is set out under condition 5 of the permission, where it states that: “(a) the development shall be used for the purpose of durable/non-food retail and for non-food retail warehousing and for no other purpose, including other uses which may otherwise have been permitted in terms of Class 1 of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Scotland) Order 1992, or any statutory instrument revoking and re-enacting that Order. (b) the max floorspace as permitted within 5(a) shall be 16,835 sqm” 2.10 Given that the redline boundary for the application site covered the entirety of the retail park, and under condition 5 (b), a maximum floorspace cap is applied to control the overall retail floorspace permitted covering both the existing and proposed floorspace, it is clear that condition 5(a) would equally apply to all units at the park. A legal opinion from our client’s legal advisors is enclosed at Appendix A, which backs up this position. 2.11 This point is particularly relevant in the context of these representations to the PP. Future Development Intentions 2.12 EPISO Boxes GP continue to be committed to the delivery of the permission granted in 2005 and are exploring with officers of Fife Council, the best delivery route for these aspirations. 2.13 A formal pre-application submission was made in March this year, to commence initial discussions on the next steps in taking forward these actions. Since then, two meetings have also been arranged with officers to agree an appropriate application strategy. 2.14 In summary, the proposals are anticipated to include: • Amendments to retail unit sizes and configuration but in-keeping with the upper floorspace threshold set by planning condition 5; • Amendments to the main access route including changes to the scale of the roundabout; December 2014 5 gva.co.uk EPISO Boxes GP Representations to the Fife LDP – Proposed Plan • Amendments to internal car parking areas; • Façade facelifts to existing units; • Introduction of new (class 3/sui generis use) drive-thru food and beverage units; and • Introducing a small ancillary allowance to permit food sales within the retail units to meet modern retail occupier requirements. 2.15 The proposals above are set out within a revised Masterplan that was submitted with that pre-application material. 2.16 The proposals above offer an excellent opportunity to enhance the shopping facilities available within Glenrothes and ensure that Saltire becomes a key attraction and asset for the town, within the local and wider Fife conurbation. 2.17 It is currently intended that the first stage of these application proposals will brought forward in 2015. 2.18 The Saltire Retail Park is an important component within Glenrothes’ retail hierarchy, helping to retain shopping expenditure within the town. As retailing trends continue to evolve, it is important for destinations such as Saltire to adapt as well to meet the rapid changes to consumer habits. This can be delivered in part with the full implementation of the permission for redevelopment, alongside modest complementary additions in respect of Class 3 uses. 2.19 The overall redevelopment proposals for Saltire are significant and will make a valuable contribution to the quality and range of retail provision in Glenrothes, generate new employment , help to clawback currently lost consumer expenditure and improve the sustainability of shopping patterns in this part of Fife, all in accordance with national policy aspirations under SPP. 2.20 As a result, our client looks forward to delivering these in the near future. December 2014 6 gva.co.uk EPISO Boxes GP Representations to the Fife LDP – Proposed Plan 3. PROPOSED PLAN RESPONSE 3.1 The following section responds directly to the PP as published in October 2014 and will be followed by a range of recommendations for amendments, under Section 4 of this report, that have been influenced by the preceding

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