Plans to turn a former supermarket site in Aberdeen into a car dealership have taken a step forward.
Proposals to turn the Lidl site on Torry’s Wellington Road into an Arnold Clark Volvo showroom were approved in 2017.
The firm has now received approval to fit out the former discount supermarket store on the busy city road, as reported in the Evening Express.
Plans for the site include a showroom and a service workshop, and would increase the number of parking spaces on site to 105.
The new development is only yards from the old Arnold Clark Service Centre on Girdleness Road, which was destroyed in a major fire in 2015.
The former Volvo facility on the same road will be refurbished for the company’s Mazda franchise.
A building warrant to carry out nearly £1 million of work, for the alteration of the supermarket into the vehicle dealership by stripping out the site, has been approved.
According to the building warrant lodged with Aberdeen City Council, the work would cost Arnold Clark £980,000.
Councillor Alan Donnelly, who represents the Torry ward, said: “This is fantastic news, with money and investment coming into Aberdeen.
“Considering we are coming out of a downturn, it should be welcomed.
“There are a lot of car businesses already on Wellington Road at the moment so this means the area will become a focal point for business.”
Concerns had been raised about the proposals for the new showroom detailing plans for a washing bay facility, due to it being close to the rail line.
However, a condition was added to the development being granted – that it must include a spray screen to save rail infrastructure from detergent and water from the car-washing facility.
A decision notice said: “The applicant must erect a suitable spray screen adjacent to the proposed wash bay along the existing boundary fence.
“Details of the proposed screen shall be submitted to the planning authority for approval before development is commenced and the wash bay shall not be brought into use unless the spray screen has been implemented in accordance with the approved details.
“The screen shall remain place in perpetuity unless the written consent of the planning authority has been given for its removal.”
Lidl has since moved into a new store after vacating the Torry store on Wellington Road.
The supermarket opened at the old Peter Vardy Land Rover site on the nearby Greenwell Road, East Tullos, in October.
A total of 25 new jobs have been created and new facilities in the store includes a bakery.
The move was part of a £1.5 billion nationwide investment to change the discount chain’s image so that it can appeal to a wider range of customers.
Arnold Clark chief executive and group managing director Eddie Hawthorne said: “I can confirm we are commencing work on a new development within our current Volvo facility and the existing site will be refurbished to accommodate our Mazda franchise.
“We expect the development to be complete by the middle of next year.”
