A PROPOSED retirement village in Dundee has been scrapped after the developers pulled the plug due to concerns over the cost.
The former Scottish Water site at the junction of Pitkerro Road and Stobsmuir Road had been earmarked for a specialist sheltered retirement housing complex with 43 one and two-bedroom apartments.
But developer McCarthy & Stone has now revealed the project is “no longer commercially viable” because “significant work is required to makethe site safe for development”.
A statement issued on behalf of the company said: “Unfortunately ground investigations have revealed that significant work is required to make the site safe for development and after much deliberation, McCarthy & Stone have concluded it is no longer financially viable for them.
“It is with regret that they are withdrawing the proposed development.
“A community consultation showed a high level of support for the proposal, with all of those who completed a feedback form at the public exhibition stating they were in favour of the project.
“McCarthy & Stone is disappointed that it will not be able to deliver this development in Dundee. The firm remains committed to investing in new retirement homes for older people across Scotland and continue to be interested in suitable sites in the Dundee area.”
A planning application for the project had received conditional approval from Dundee City Council in December 2015.
Local community group Friends of Swannie Ponds — which sits adjacent to the site — had previously backed the plans and the group’s chairman, Alan Maich, said he was disappointed that the project would not be going ahead.
He said: “It is really disappointing because the site in question has been left derelict by Scottish Water for well over 10 years now. The hope was that this project would be putting the ground to good use and give the area a much-needed boost.
“I am still very disappointed that the sheltered housing complex isn’t going ahead but we will keep working on our long-term plans regardless and hope they do something with the derelict land that they have there.”
A Scottish Water spokesman said: “We have an obligation to sell surplus assets. This site has been subject to complex negotiations, which are ongoing.”