Up to 90 new jobs will be created in Montrose with the completion of the retail park on the former whisky distillery site on the towns Brechin Road.
National retailers Home Bargains will create the largest share of the new posts with up to 50 jobs, while well-known coffee chain Costa Coffee will brew up 15 to 20 jobs and frozen food retailer Farmfoods will deliver 12-15 new posts.
A spokesperson for Kilmac said: “The subdivision of the 4,000sqft unit comes after Kilmac undertook an extensive marketing campaign that spanned 18 months, which identified a need for 2,000sqft units that are not available in the town centre.
“This site has been earmarked for retail development for a number of years, but has lain vacant until now.”
Derek Ross, development director said: “From the beginning we felt that this proposal would promote the regeneration of land that is currently underutilised and add valuable economic benefit to the area through its construction, day-to-day operation and additional staffing requirement, all of which will create jobs locally.
“The development has ensured that retailers interested in expanding into Montrose are given the opportunity to do so.
“Farmfoods have enjoyed a successful opening and we look forward to seeing the balance of operators complete their fit out works with opening of the remainder of the development to the public this summer.”
Montrose and District SNP Councillor Bill Duff said: “I’m pleased to see this development completed and it is good to see the first retail outlet is open now.
“This site had been earmarked for retail development on the Old Distillery site for some time, but economic conditions deterred the original company who obtained planning permission.
“I’m delighted to see local company Kilmac take on this project and the development looks attractive and joins naturally on to the adjacent supermarket.”
Grocery giant Sainsbury’s originally had plans for the site, but the proposal fell through.
Previously, Angus development standards committee unanimously backed the conditional approval for the site on the recommendation of planning officials, and a subsequent amended application to split the third unit in two after finding a tenant proved challenging was also rubber stamped by elected members.
At the meeting, councillors also heard it could help stem a near-£30 million retail spend leakage per year to alternative shopping areas including Dundee and Aberdeen.
