A petrol station, retail unit, restaurant and drive-through has been proposed as the latest addition to the growing business footprint at Forfar’s Orchardbank business park – which could bring up to 60 full- and part-time jobs to the area.
The site already hosts a variety of uses, including Angus Council’s HQ, a restaurant, and fast food outlet with a drive-through, and a range of general business and office developments are located nearby.
However, one Forfar councillor has expressed concern at the proposal for another fast food premises in the area.
If successful, it would become one of the sites owned by Blackburn-headquartered independent forecourt retailer EG Group, which is seeking to increase its operations in Scotland.
The firm has expanded rapidly in recent years – in 2017, the business secured approximately 1,000 forecourt assets from Esso in Germany, and in February this year, the group announced it will purchase nearly 800 Kroger convenience stores for $2.15 billion.
The firm also announced it had completed the acquisition of around 1200 sites in Italy from Esso.
It is projected EG Group will own and operate around 4,500 sites across Europe and the United States by the end of this year.
The firm currently operates in association with a number of high-profile fast-food firms including Starbucks and Burger King.
The comprehensive application includes a 504sqm retail unit, a 224sqm drive through and coffee shop, and 66 parking bays, including two charging points for electric vehicles and eleven HGV bays, and four cycle stands, with EG Group arguing that the site represents an attractive location for a petrol forecourt.
The firm also states that the design of the individual units will use modern materials which will create “an attractive high-quality development in this location.”
Landscaping proposals around the site include extensive woodland planting, mounding to minimise visual intrusion and assist with noise issues, and high specification shrubs, trees and hedgerow planting in the vicinity of buildings and car parking areas.
A central ‘spine’ would also be created along the route of the nearby burn which will include paths, planting and water management features.
The application concludes with the observation that “the design of the scheme is based on a successful, proven petrol forecourt model, tailored to meet the specific characteristics of the site.”
The news was given a lukewarm reception by Forfar SNP Councillor Lynne Devine.
She said: “I can appreciate the location is potentially a good one for a new petrol station, buy I am concerned that we might see yet another fast food outlet in the town.
“There has to be a balance between creating jobs, and having yet another take-away in Forfar.
“The site already has two fast-food vendors in the area, and adding yet another one does little for the town in my view.
“What also concerns me is the possibility that this will further increase the litter problem on A90.
“I appreciate that the restaurant owners are not to blame for people throwing food cartons from their car windows, but we can’t escape the fact that too often, it is fast food packaging that is blighting the sides of the roads.”
The application will be decided by local authority’s development standards committee in due course.
