Former Matalan left derelict for a decade could become new Aberdeen gym

A dilapidated warehouse near Aberdeen beach could soon be brought back into use – a decade after it was abandoned.

The former Matalan store on Constitution street has lain vacant for about 10 years.

Since then, several projects were mooted for the two-acre site in an attempt to utilise the forlorn building and the surrounding areas.

However, none of them came to fruition and the property was left to fall into decay, with unsightly weeds plaguing the car park out front.

The downtrodden property has recently been listed as a “derelict and vacant” spot with good potential for development in a new Scottish Government register.

And now, there are plans to breathe new life into the abandoned Matalan store and boost footfall into the area with a new gym.

What’s happened to the former Matalan store?

The former clothing store was first eyed up by Unite Group, who wanted to demolish the retail unit and build a massive student complex with 600 bedrooms.

Aberdeen City Council backed the scheme in 2016, however, the development never progressed and the company’s planning permission eventually lapsed.

Six years later, UK-based CoVault HQ also tried their hand at rejuvenating the site, intending to make it a warehouse with small storage units available to rent.

These also fell through, and the spot has been deteriorating ever since.

Now Sheetanchor Evolve say the derelict building is ruining the “visual amenity” of the central spot, while lying empty “to the detriment of the area”.

And they hope to turn its fortunes around by transforming it into a glossy new complex with a 24-hour gym, operated by fitness and sportswear experts JD.

Fresh documents add: “The proposal will bring the site back into use, and ensure the land and buildings do not deteriorate further.

“It will bring people back onto the area, provide a variety of uses and create jobs.”

What exactly are the plans?

Under the proposals, the southern part of the warehouse would be knocked down to “open up the site” and create an extra 29 parking spaces.

This will bring the total number to 152, with a dozen bike stands and four EV spaces also to be created.

The other part of the building will be refurbished to house the new JD gym and a small retail unit.

Planning papers say this will bring “one of the most recognised fitness centre brands on the market” to the north-east.

JD operates 90 gyms across the UK – including Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The new centre will be open seven days a week, and offer all sorts of gym equipment, fitness classes and personal trainer sessions.

Most derelict sites in Aberdeen are ‘developable’

The former Matalan store is one of 65 sites across the city that have been left to lain disused over the years.

An investigation by our data specialists revealed the number of dilapidated plots of land in Aberdeen has more than doubled since 2016.

More than half of the sites on the register are developable in the medium term (56.9%).

And only 13 of the 65, or a fifth of the sites, are developable in the short term.

You can see the full map of derelict sites across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire here.

Read more:

• The 65 ‘vacant and derelict’ city sites including closed convent, forgotten pubs and bulldozed businesses
• Rubislaw Quarry sale in stalemate ONE YEAR ON as government brands redevelopment ‘uncertain’
• Loirston House: Former offshore offices face demolition after lying empty for years
• Chalmers Bakery: Work starts on million-pound flats at demolished Bucksburn site