TWO supermarket firms are in the race to move in to Lomond Galleries after a plan to extend and revamp the Alexandria shopping centre was given the green light by councillors.

The shopping centre will undergo a complete makeover with an extension to accommodate a new supermarket and boost business.

West Dunbartonshire Council said two supermarkets are currently interested in occupying the new extension, and it is thought that between 30 to 100 new jobs could be created. It is hoped the supermarket will act as an ‘anchor’, drawing more customers to Lomond Galleries and the existing retail outlets.

Of the so called ‘big three’ supermarkets, Asda and Sainsbury’s have ruled themselves out of an approach for the site, while Morrisons would not comment on the possibility of opening a store there.

The plans will also see the car park revamped and landscaped to create a total of 304 spaces and two cycle racks, with additional disabled access being made available directly from Heather Avenue.

On June 24, Hermiston Securities was granted planning permission to take down the left wing of the Category A listed building and rebuild it ‘brick by brick’ to create a new north-facing frontage for the proposed supermarket in the A-listed former munitions factory that closed in 1970.

A 1,255m² extension will be built to the northern wing of the building, along with internal alterations to convert this area into a single large unit. It would create a retail unit with a gross floor area of 2165.5m², of which 1280m² would be a dedicated sales area.

The plans claim the development would increase the shopping centre’s chances of a future, as the centre is currently losing money, and could potentially close.

The report states: “The study estimates that 52 per cent, or almost £26m of available convenience expenditure from the Alexandria catchment leaks from the area. The retail assessment argues that it is this leaked expenditure that will provide the majority of expenditure in the new store.” A spokesman for Hermiston Securities said Lomond Galleries could only survive if it had the ability to offer a modern, purpose-built facility for a household retailer.

Speaking at a meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council’s planning committee, he said: “When I visited a few weeks ago there were only eight outlets trading, about one third of the capacity; now there are less. The building is running at a loss of £20,000 a month.

“The owners of the site will continue to fund that loss until such a date when a decision on the planning application will be made.” He added: “This, I would suggest, represents a unique situation in Scotland in which a new modern supermarket is situated in a category A listed building. It would secure the future of a very important landmark building in Alexandria and retain the architectural features of the building.

The plans also stated that the development is a ‘significant departure’ from planning policies but officers claim the benefits from preserving the listed building are sufficient enough to justify the proposal.

A retail assessment suggests the proposal would have a five to six per cent negative impact on Alexandria town centre. There is hope that the redevelopment could attract business that was lost in the failed sale and regeneration of Mitchell Way in Alexandria last month due to poor market conditions.

Councillor Lawrence O’Neill, convener of the planning committee, said: “This is a unique opportunity for West Dunbartonshire, as we look to have a modern supermarket as part of an A-listed building. The contemporary design of the extension will complement the current building and will give a much-needed boost to Lomond Galleries.” Provost Douglas McAllister, depute-convener, added: “This decision helps provide a viable future for Lomond Galleries, which at present has a number of vacant units. By revitalising and extending the building to provide a supermarket for the town it will bring more people to the Galleries which will provide many benefits for other retailers.” However, Socialist councillor Jim Bollan objects to the plans. He said: “This will kill stone dead the council’s own plan to regenerate the Alexandria Town Centre site at Mitchell Way with a supermarket. This out of town development at North Main Street will also kill more small family businesses which currently operate on Main Street, Alexandria.

“The council has learned nothing from allowing the expansion of the out of town development at St James’s retail park in Dumbarton which has been a major factor in the trail of empty shops in Dumbarton High Street.” Dumbarton and the Vale’s MSP Jackie Baillie told the Reporter: “The Argyll Motor Works factory is an important piece of architecture and an iconic reminder of Alexandria’s industrial heritage but it has sadly suffered from decline in recent years.

“This decision will hopefully pave the way for a brighter future for the building and Lomond Galleries by bringing more business into the area and creating some much-needed jobs for the town.” As the building is A-listed Historic Scotland has already been consulted on the proposals and has proposed some changes and Hermiston say they have incorporated into the scheme.

The listed office block along the Main Street frontage was eventually brought back into use as a shopping centre in the late 1990s. The shopping centre was originally conceived as an outlet mall, but has struggled to attract custom and many of the units are currently vacant.