It is hoped a new Dundee leisure park with a bowling alley, soft play area, indoor golf, and a bar and restaurant will rise from the ashes of a devastating fire.
The site of the former Hilltown Indoor Market, which was destroyed in a blaze in 2018, was to be developed by Sigma Property Holdings, a Northern Irish firm.
Carnoustie architects Brunton Design has submitted plans detailing how the site, known as Hilltown Park, will look amid older buildings in Main Street (see video below and gallery further down).
The plans were approved on Wednesday, with the leisure park proposal in the pipeline since late 2019.
However, Companies House states Sigma Property Holdings was dissolved on Tuesday August 31 – the day before permission was granted.
The firm’s former directors could not be reached.
However, planning laws state permission is granted for the piece of land, not the applicant.
This means another developer could take on development of the site, located around a 10-minute walk from Dens Park and Tannadice.
Just short of 250 parking spaces will be available at the leisure park, accessed from Main Street and running alongside Isla Street.
The Hilltown Market and adjacent Fit4Less gym were destroyed by a fire on September 12 2018.
Ward councillor Mark Flynn, who is also the convener of the city development committee, said he is hopeful the leisure park could still be built, and be a “focal point” for the Hilltown and Coldside areas.
He said: “I was quite excited to see the application come in, bringing that area back to life in many ways following the fire.
“That’s the disappointing side of things, to hear that the company behind the application themselves has been dissolved.
“They were going to create this new leisure park on the Hilltown. To not be able to take that forward is obviously disappointing.
“It’s a great location in Dundee and will provide fantastic facilities, with great transportation links.”
He added: “The whole thing is an approved planning application in place now, and they’re valid for three years, so it gives the option for others to come in.
“It gives a great opportunity because a lot of the work has been done for another developer.
“All they would do is take ownership and inform the council of what they were doing, and they would be able, technically, to start immediately.”
Mr Flynn said the new houses and school in Alexander Street, as well as the Hillcrest properties on Derby Street being constructed, made the Hilltown a desirable location for investors.
He said: “To bring that type of entertainment facility into the city would be fantastic.
“This is obviously a job creator as well. That’s one of the reasons I was quite excited about it.
“It’s bringing an area that was burnt down and pretty ageing, anyway, up to a really good standard and it’s in a community that really needs things like this.”
On its website, architects Brunton Design said: “The park will comprise 10-pin bowling, a kids’ play gym, indoor golf and amusements, and a bar and restaurant.
“We are delighted and I’m sure that this facility will be a success as well as helping to further enhance the ‘new’ Hilltown.”
More than 60 firefighters and nine appliances were deployed from across Dundee and further afield to tackle the fire in September 2018, which took hold and brought down walls shortly after 6pm that night.
Despite a massive effort by firefighters, little could be done to save the Main Street building as the blaze ripped through the units inside.
The market had been due to reopen just weeks before the fire following an 18-month closure.
The site was then razed to the ground and has remained unused since.
If taken on by another firm, it will be the first time in more than a decade Dundonians have the chance to play ten pin bowling in the city, after Megabowl in Lochee shut in 2011.
VIDEO: Morning reveals extent of damage after huge fire at Hilltown Market