Published: Friday, 30th November, 2007 09:30
Derelict flats hamper major retail project
By Tracey Bryce
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Plans are set to be submitted for the redevlopment of the former Co-op Department Store.
Pic by: David Robertson
EXCITING new plans are in the pipeline for Alloa’s redundant Co-op building.
But property developer Ken Cairnduff fears his efforts to revamp the prime Primrose Street premises could be hampered by adjoining ‘eyesore’ derelict flats.
Mr Cairnduff, director of Glasgow-based Cairnduff Developments Limited, bought the former Co-op department store building for £1.6 million last November, after the Co-op Group closed 10 of its biggest loss-making stores and put the remaining 26, including Alloa, up for sale.
Since then, he has been in discussions with Clackmannanshire Council over proposals to convert the three-storey building into an in-town retail park, featuring numerous individual shops.
After several revisions of the plans, Mr Cairnduff is now hopeful he will be in a position to submit a planning application to the council before the end of the year.
And although he remained tight-lipped about what that may include, he did raise concerns over the flats above his property, which seem to have been abandoned.
“They are an eyesore and a potential safety hazard,” Mr Cairnduff told the Advertiser.
The six flats are still owned by the Co-op Group.
They have lain empty with boarded up windows for well over 15 years – and have the potential to pose a stumbling block to the progress of Alloa town centre, which has recently benefited from regeneration and attracted big name retailers like Asda, Argos, New Look and Superdrug.
Mr Cairnduff said, “I am not in the business of residential property, so I have no wish to take these flats on myself, but someone has to do something with them soon.
“They are just a problem waiting to happen and, from a personal perspective, they are above my property.”
To date, Mr Cairnduff hasn’t experienced any direct problems as a result of the unoccupied flats – but he has, on several occasions, been forced to report unlocked doors to the properties in a bid to avoid the possibility of attracting vandals or small children who could be injured by unstable fixtures and fittings inside.
He added, “They could still be put to use as flats but it is getting to a stage where, if that doesn’t happen soon, it won’t be an option any more.”
Upon being contacted by the Advertiser, the Co-op Group revealed that its property department is “looking to, and expects to reach, a decision shortly on what to do with the flats, whether to sell or possibly lease the properties”.
In the meantime, Mr Cairnduff is focusing his efforts on securing planning permission for his own project.
“I can’t say much at the moment, but hopefully it will be quite an exciting development,” he said.
“We’ve had the building for the best part of a year and looked at various options, including refurbishing the building and reversing it with an entrance from the car park to create a retail park with four to five units and good pedestrian access to the town centre.
“At the moment, we’re looking at new proposals, which are going to the council in December.”
Mr Cairnduff added, “The council have been very helpful and the town itself seems to be progressing very well with the new train station and new retailers coming in, so we’re hoping to get started soon.
“If all goes well with the planning, work could start in the new year, but it’s a big project so it will take some time to complete. Nothing is going to happen in a short space of time.”
A spokeswoman for Clackmannanshire Council said, “No planning application has been submitted to the council for development of the former Co-op building. Discussions are on-going between the council and the developer about indicative plans for the area, which do include retail proposals. We anticipate that a planning application will be submitted in the near future.”
Anyone wishing to report issues of concern regarding Co-op Group owned properties should write to Helen Bedford, Co-op Property Division, Co-operative Group, PO Box 53, Manchester, M60 4ES.
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