Home improvement retailer Wickes has unveiled plans to open a new store in Westhill.
Knight Property Group has lodged plans with Aberdeenshire Council to build the retail unit at Arnhall Business Park.
Currently the closest Wickes stores are in Inverness or Dundee.
The DIY retailer previously had a presence on Aberdeen’s Hutcheon Street but it closed after being bought over by Focus Do It All.
Wickes claims 35 new jobs would be created if the proposals are approved.
An outdoor projects centre for landscape and garden projects would be located to the rear of the store.
There would also be ample on-site parking with 82 spaces including four disabled bays.
Access to the carpark would be off Exploration Way.
Wickes: ‘Clear demand’ for new store at Westhill
Property agents Ryden said Wickes had expressed a “strong interest” in the Aberdeenshire site.
In a planning statement, the firm said the DIY giant had “identified a desire to establish a presence within the Aberdeen market”.
Ryden argued that the proposed warehouse would fit in with existing businesses in the area and would bring benefits to the local economy.
They added: “There is a clear demand for a home improvement store in Westhill and this proposal meets that criterion.”
Wickes would add to big names already in Westhill
Development of Arnhall Business Park has been ongoing for more than 15 years.
Many businesses there are involved in subsea engineering, with the area established as a global centre of excellence in the field.
But in recent years many sites have been developed into retail units instead due to an overprovision of office space.
If approved, Wickes would join big names including McDonald’s, Starbucks, Screwfix and Toolstation at the business park.
First Wickes opened in 1972
Wickes welcomed its first customers 50 years ago and is one of the UK’s fastest growing home improvement retailers.
It’s initial site at Whitefield, Manchester opened in 1972.
The firm now operates 230 stores throughout the UK, with sites in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth and Stirling.
You can view the plans here.
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