Approval for Construction of 60,000-Square-Foot Business Park on Craigtoun Road

Consent has been given for a new, mixed-use retail and business site on Craigtoun Road. West Coast Estates, an Aberdeen-based property development and investment company, acquired a seven-acre plot of land this August, on which “more than 60,000 sq feet of consented commercial and employment space” is to be built, according to their website. The estimated development value on completion is £25 million. 

Although planning permission has been received, construction has not begun, and an opening date is yet to be announced.

The site, named Craigtoun Park, has confirmed that the discount retailer Home Bargains will be its anchor operator. This represents a further expansion to Home Bargains’ portfolio in the local area, which also includes four locations operating in Dundee. West Coast Estate’s website states that the remaining units on the site will provide “a flexible range of fully serviced retail, office and business accommodation for local businesses and national occupiers.” 

A statement from West Coast Estates said, “We believe the development will bring a number of benefits to St Andrews, including increased employment opportunities, greater choice for the local community and additional economic activity. The wider scheme is estimated to create at least 170 permanent jobs and around 100 construction jobs, as well as generating more than £500,000 a year in business rates.”

This development is part of the company’s £60 million development pipeline, which it claims will regenerate underutilised land and create sustainable local spaces across Scotland. This initiative has given rise to projects in Broxden, Huntly, and Aberdeen. 

Although currently considered a brownfield site, the development plot in St Andrews was historically a crop field on the outskirts of town, in use until around 2021.

When asked about the development’s impact on the local and natural environment, West Coast Estates stated: “We also recognise that any development of this scale needs to respond appropriately to its surroundings. The masterplan has therefore been carefully considered in the context of the existing landscape, making use of established trees, hedgerows, stone walls and changes in site level to help integrate the development into its setting. Environmental considerations and landscaping form part of that wider approach.”

“As with any new development, matters such as landscaping, environmental impact and the relationship with surrounding uses have formed part of the planning process. These have been considered as part of the approved proposals and will continue to be addressed as the development is delivered.”

This is not the only new instance of urbanisation in this area of St Andrews; West Coast Estate’s website notes that the development of Craigtoun Park “coincides with the delivery of around 1,250 new homes in the surrounding area.” Near the proposed business park is a development by David Wilson Homes, as well as the next phases of the extensive St Andrews West project, which alone delivers 900 new houses, as well as buildings for education, retail and business.

Together, these developments represent a significant push in recent times to expand even further beyond the historic centre of town. When St Andrews Community Council was approached for comment on the development, a councillor responded that she was not certain the area lay under its jurisdiction. 

The site of the proposed business park lies about 500 metres from the hamlet of Mount Melville, which is covered by Cameron Community Council; St Salvator’s quadrangle is over two and a half kilometres away.

West Coast Estates concluded: “Our aim is to create a high-quality commercial development which complements the growing community on the western side of St Andrews, provides new opportunities for businesses and employment, and sits appropriately within its surroundings.”

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons