A major retailer claims it has the support of the vast majority of St Andrews residents for the food store it wants to open at the town’s old abbatoir.
Marks & Spence hopes to build a branch of Simply Food in Largo Road where the town’s slaughterhouse closed its doors in July.
There are also plans for a Premier Inn hotel and both schemes are to be examined by councillors at a special meeting in the town tonight ahead of a decision on planning consent.
M&S conducted a telephone survey of residents and said that four out of five of those questioned believed the proposed store would improve the quality of retail offering in the town.
More than 50 jobs would be created at the shop, it is claimed, but there are concerns about the impact that the out-of-town outlet would have on town centre trade.
An M&S spokesman said: “We are looking to enhance our presence in Fife and St Andrews in particular so we’re encouraged by the results of this survey.”
A planning application for the 1,500 sq m store and 65-room hotel has been submitted by Ashleigh (St Andrews) Ltd.
Company spokesman, Brian Robinson, said: “The results of this latest survey carried out by M&S back up our findings, as demonstrated by our public consultations and through our active portal where local people have cited their support for the proposals.
“Achieving a consent prior to the end of the year would be very welcome news and we would very much hope that the members of the planning committee would take these latest survey findings into account when coming to their decision.”
Although an assessment by the applicant claimed the development would help stem retail leakage from east Fife, St Andrews Merchants Association has warned it will be damaging for shops, hotels, B&Bs and other businesses in the town.