Construction work has started on Cupar’s long-awaited new £7.5 million retail park.
A sod cutting ceremony, attended by local councillors Margaret Kennedy, Tony Miklinski and Karen Marjoram, went ahead at the South Road site to officially mark the commencement of work.
The retail park will feature eight retail and leisure units which, it is hoped, will attract people into the town from further afield.
The largest of the units has already been pre-let to anchor tenant B&M, which has taken 23,000 square feet plus another 7,500 square feet to accommodate a garden centre.
Other pre-lets have been agreed with Indigo Sun, Burger King and Costa Coffee, while the four remaining units are available for rent.
The retail park will create 120 to 140 long-term retail jobs as well as 40 construction jobs during the build and fit-out phases.
London and Scottish Developments, part of Glasgow-based London and Scottish Property Investment Management (LSPIM) has asked Muir Construction to build the 47,800-square-foot retail development, as well as 159 car parking spaces.
Councillor Margaret Kennedy said: “This site has lain vacant for so many years now the community has almost given up hope that it would be developed.
“I recognise that there are concerns about an edge of town retail development; however, I have been pleased to hear that efforts will be made to engage widely within the town.
“I have sought an assurance of connecting with Cupar Now our Digital Improvement District, and I am sure that there will be a great deal of interest as the development comes to fruition.”
Andy Richardson, Group Development Director at London & Scottish Developments, said: “I am delighted to see construction commence on a site that has lain derelict for so many years. We are pleased to have worked with both Fife Council and Muir Construction to regenerate this disused land to meet modern occupier demands.
“As well as complementing Cupar’s existing retail offer, these new retail and leisure outlets and parking facility will attract shoppers from a catchment area of around 120,000 people into Cupar. It will provide the public with more choice and enhance their overall shopping experience.”
It’s hoped construction could be finished before the end of the year.
Councillors removed one of the last obstacles to development in August when they gave the developers permission to construct a mini-roundabout at the entrance to the site before public use of the retail park.
A previous approval required it to be built before work started on constructing the retail park, but that condition was removed.
The developers were also granted permission for professional services – such as vets and health centres – to be based at the retail park, despite concerns that those were businesses that could be based in the town centre instead.
