A new Aberdeen Homebase has been approved, with council chiefs dismissing pleas to enforce tight rules on the store.
The old DW Sport and Fitness venue, which shut in August 2020, will be transformed under the scheme to breathe new life into the Beach Boulevard Retail Park.
It comes after we revealed in February that a deal had been struck between retail park owners Standard Life Assurance Ltd and Homebase – pending planning permission.
Since then, however, the Bon Accord Centre approached the council to suggest some limits should be placed on the rival outlet.
Aberdeen Homebase approved – without suggested conditions
The owners of the city centre mall said “any approval on the site should be carefully conditioned so as to control its possible size, function and impact”.
They wanted limits imposed on the possible floorspace and on what could be sold there – with rules restricting products to “bulky goods” such as “DIY and household furnishings”.
But Aberdeen City Council waved away the representation as officials rubber-stamped the Homebase plans.
Bon Accord Centre plea ‘considered unreasonable’
A report penned by Dineke Brasier states: “In relation to the letter of representation received – the Beach Retail Park is an established retail park and includes a wide range of users, including bulky goods, food retailers such as Asda, Smyths Toy Superstore and Pagazzi.
“There are no existing conditions restricting the range of goods that can be sold within the units.
“As such, it would be considered unreasonable to add such a restriction to this single unit.”
Only one condition imposed
Meanwhile, any request to expand the floorspace would be subject to a separate planning application so there would be “no need to add such a restriction” just now.
The only condition imposed by the council was on making sure there is space for staff to store their bicycles, and changing/washing facilities for them.
Homebase closed Aberdeen shops four years ago
It will mark a return to Aberdeen for Homebase after the firm announced the closure of its Bridge of Don and Portlethen shops in a 2018 savings drive.
The nearest store since then has been in Inverurie.
The Bon Accord Centre’s attempt to stymie the scheme comes after a bruising spell for the city centre mall.
Several of its big hitters closed during lockdown, with the likes of John Lewis, Dorothy Perkins, Top Shop and the Disney store shutting up shop.
Since then, a gardening centre – believed to be the only indoors one in the UK – has opened on the upper floor.
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