Leading discount retailer Home Bargains eyes store opening in Dingwall
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A FAST-growing discount store with 500 outlets across the UK is now turning its attentions to Ross-shire's county town.
Home Bargains want to build a new 20,000 sq ft store on a 2.5-acre site on land to the rear of St Clement's School on Tulloch Street.
A planning application to Highland Council has been made by Forrest Developments Ltd.
The site is bounded to the north by the Peffery, with a Lidl store adjacent to the immediate south.
o the west is St Clement's Primary School and Dingwall Community Centre, with residential properties and gardens to the east.
The developer says it is easily accessible for all modes of transport, in particular the existing pedestrian network.
The site already has an extensive planning history including three separate planning permissions for retail use, the most recent being granted in 2014. All three permissions have now expired.
Forrest Developments says a key consideration in the design was to create a high quality architectural development that is appropriate to the surrounding context and character of the Highland town setting.
The single floor building would have cladding panels in inky black and grey hues, curtain wall glazing and "quality facing brickwork to bring warmth and soften the elevations with colour and tone to complement surrounding buildings".
Planning papers state: "The proposed plan envisages a pronounced entrance feature and processional colonnade adjacent to the access road and customer car park, providing a point of interest and presence that will orientate customers towards the store entrance.The colonnade will provide generous cover from rain and shade from solar gain along the southerly orientated frontage. "
The company, started in Liverpool, employs 22,000 people and lays claim to being one of the UK's fastest growing discount retailers.
