By Ralph Barnett

After seemingly endless delays and missed deadlines, Tesco yesterday announced that construction work on its new store in Arbroath would be starting at the end of this month.

The retail group said a number of “outstanding issues” had now been resolved in relation to the four- acre site formerly occupied by the Westburn Foundry at Stobcross and this had allowed the site’s owners Gladedale Capital to complete the sale of the ground to Tesco.

Gladedale Capital has won two planning and road construction consent appeals to complete the sale of the land and allow work on site to start.

The new 3500-square-metre store— scheduled to open for business by the end of autumn—will include new recycling facilities and parking for parents with young children and those with mobility difficulties.

Commenting on the long-awaited announcement, Tesco’s Scottish corporate affairs manager Doug Wilson said, “We are delighted to be starting the new store.

“It has taken some time for us to reach this point and I would like to thank Gladedale Capital for resolving the outstanding issues and also Angus Council officers for their help and assistance in finalising the details of our new store.

“Tesco has been looking to bring a new store to Arbroath for many years and we have been frustrated by the time it has taken to reach this point.

“We can now assure local people that the development will now move extremely quickly and we look forward to bringing a new Tesco store to the people of Arbroath before the end of the year.”

Gladedale Capital director David Robinson said, “It is gratifying to have completed this deal and allow development of this new store in Arbroath to proceed.

“The residents of Arbroath have waited a long time for this development and there have been a number of challenges posed over the years.

“We would like to thank the officers of Angus Council for their professionalism in dealing with the many challenges that have been put in front of the development of the site and are grateful to Tesco, who have been unswerving in their backing for this development.”

Tesco had originally planned to build a far larger store centred on the former Westburn Foundry site but the council’s then SNP-led administration refused to consider a bid by the retailer to acquire the adjacent Bruce House council offices and car park.

The application was also delayed due to problems in developing an acceptable solution to the anticipated increase in traffic generated by a new store on the site—but these were resolved as far back as August last year when the revised store plan was formally approved by councillors.