The developer behind a prominent Dundee building project is a major drug dealer who has been jailed for five years.
News of Dundee City Council’s planning approval for flats on the site of the Rialto Cinema in Lochee this week reached Stephen Donald behind bars.
When he regains his liberty he will hope to enjoy the profits from the commercial venture, but he is also subject to measures under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
It was unclear on Thursday night whether any money he makes from the Lochee development will be confiscated.
The council was powerless to block the planning application as there is no legal obstacle to its approval because the applicant is a convicted criminal.
Donald (54), of Charleston near Glamis, was one of six men jailed for a total of almost 26 years at the High Court in Edinburgh last month. One of his co-accused was a convicted murderer.
They were part of the drug gang in Tayside captured during Operation Archangel. Heroin with a street value of more than £118,000 and £19,000 in cash was seized. Donald maintained his innocence but police had phone records showing he brokered the drugs transaction. After their sentence, the detective who led the drugs squad rejoiced that a serious and organised crime group had been taken off the streets.Large portfolioDonald was described in court as a businessman, with interests in property. He is understood to have bought the Rialto site at Gray’s Lane some years ago. The building, once a popular venue in Lochee, was given listed status in 1993, but many of its important architectural features were lost after a fire.
The building was then de-listed by Historic Scotland but it still occupies an important site on the edge of the Lochee conservation zone.
His application to the council for building 12 flats with 16 car parking spaces was submitted in the name of “Mr S. Donald, c/o Leadingham Jamieson Rogers & Hynd, chartered architects, 18 South Tay Street, Dundee.”
Inquiries by The Courier have concluded that Mr S. Donald is Stephen Donald, who was jailed in January for dealing in heroin.
Bob Hynd of the architects was asked about his client being a convicted drugs dealer but said, “I have no comment to make.”
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said there was no legal impediment to approving a planning application by a criminal if it is competently submitted. The council deals with many of these matters through agents and not directly with applicants.
A Crown Office spokesman said, “We can confirm that Stephen Donald is the subject of ongoing Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings. As proceedings are active it would not be appropriate to comment further.”
We are asked to make clear that Stephen Donald is no longer a shareholder of Technotots Nursery in Dundee, as an earlier version of this report stated. He was one of the original owners/directors but this relationship ceased. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.