A planning application for a new shop and a gym has been submitted to the council which could lead to a £2.6 million investment in a Dumfries shopping complex.
The owners of the Cuckoo Bridge Retail Park, NewRiver, are seeking to bring a Food Warehouse, which is Iceland’s new store format, and The Gym Group, which is open 24/7, to the area.
NewRiver have asked the local authority to lift an “outdated” restriction which limits the type businesses and goods for sale on the site. Currently only bulky goods can be sold with the owners saying this has caused issues for them filling empty units in the past.
They added that “changes in retail habits and investment brought about by Brexit, Covid-19 and the increase in use of the internet by customers” have had a negative impact too.
NewRiver say if the council were to lift the restriction it would pave the way for £2.6 million of investment in the site. The Food Warehouse would invest £2million into the park creating 30 new job opportunities and training, while £600,000 of new investment would go into the gym which would create 15 jobs.
Last month NewRiver set up a website and a public survey which it says received 283 responses. Of that figure 255 were supportive of the plans for the Food Warehouse and The Gym Group 23 are against, three are undecided and two have indicated no response.
Cygnet Health Care is proposing to create two residential apartments on the ground floor and four bedrooms on the first floor of the Townhead Street property.
