Green Light for Armadale Station Supermarket Proposal
26 May 2010
An application by West Lothian Council for the delivery of 25,000 sq ft of retail at Watson Park, which could be one supermarket or a series of smaller stores also received planning consent. The two schemes were granted planning consent out of seven supermarket applications in total determined by the full Council. Approval for the food-only supermarket kick-starts the first phase of a £200 million regeneration plan by developers, SDA Ltd, to bring more than 4,500 permanent jobs to the area, which is situated within the Armadale Core Development Area (CDA). The supermarket with car parking for 600 cars (400 at the supermarket and 200 for the park ‘n’ ride) will deliver 300 jobs and the planning application for this was lodged in June 2009. The development forms the first part of a new mixed-use development in South Armadale that will occupy c.120 hectares and also include a new primary school (application lodged September 2009), multiplex cinema, restaurants, retail, small business and industrial units, public parks and up to 1000 new homes – including up to 25% affordable housing.
Built adjacent to the new railway station and on land specifically designated for retail development, the proposed supermarket will capitalise on the road infrastructure currently under construction to facilitate access to the new station, the proposed park, park and ride scheme and bus-rail interchange.
The receipt from the sale of the supermarket will ensure the delivery of a much-needed new two stream primary school, the application for which was lodged in September 2009 and additional links to surrounding roads, including the A801. The proposed two stream primary school will initially cater to 222 pupils and have 60 nursery places, easing pressure on other schools in Armadale.
A planning application for the first phase of 170 houses and a care home development will be lodged with West Lothian Council next month, and it is expected the developers of the first two plots of housing to be on-site by the end of the year.
This development will regenerate not just the area around the station, but will maximise the regeneration of the town as a whole, with money from development staying in Armadale and up to 1000 new houses being proposed. And because what is being proposed is a food store, this will also serve to bring back non-food spend and that logically will take place in the town centre.
The Armadale Station development is committed to delivering the essential infrastructure and amenities necessary to ensure that the vision of Armadale as a thriving growing community in the heart of the central belt of Scotland is delivered.
Sandra Carter, of SDA Ltd, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to have received planning permission for the supermarket and would like to thank all those who have given us their support over the years and to West Lothian Council. Planning approval allows the delivery of our other proposals, including the new primary school and additional road infrastructure and we were clearly pleased to see the councillors recognized the wider benefits our development brings to the town. Having worked with the development team on this project for several years it is great that our vision of a sustainable community of shops, a school, parks, businesses and new homes that will stimulate economic growth and benefit Armadale can now be delivered”.
She added:
“The concentration of community, business, employment and retail activity in the new Armadale Station Community Development will reinforce the long term viability of both the new local centre and existing town centre and will maximise the potential for sustainable economic growth and regeneration of the town as a whole.”
Dave McDougall, Chief Executive of the West Lothian Chamber of Commerce said:
“Developments like this offer the prospect of sustainable economic development and regeneration in West Lothian and provide particularly good opportunities for the local business community.”
Drummond Black, Regional Vice Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses said:
“We are extremely excited about the prospect this development delivers for start-up businesses, with a range of units providing them with the flexibility to grow. By keeping money in the local economy this development will benefit all of Armadale and is a once in a generation opportunity for the town.”