Milngavie: Green MSP hits out at retail plan for car site

The Herald reported last week on plans for a major new retail development – including a drive-through food outlet - on the former Halley’s garage site

Arnold Clark currently occupies the site but the car dealership’s lease expires in early 2022.

Owners of the ground, Magell Ltd, a property development and investment company, have announced they are bringing forward proposals to redevelop the area at West Retail Park, home to Aldi, Home Bargains and Waitrose.

Magell, which is based in Northern Ireland, lodged a proposal of application notice to East Dunbartonshire Council a few weeks ago.

Virtual public consultation events are being organised online by the property firm on August 17 and 19 for their plans to redevelop the site into a “Class 1 Retail Development and drive-through Class 3 food and drink unit, together with associated car park”.

Ross Greer, Green MSP for the area said: “Adding more traffic to the pinch-point at Burnbrae roundabout would create obvious safety issues for drivers and pedestrians, on top of the inevitable added congestion.

"A drive-through in this location will obviously have far greater footfall than the garage ever did. The McDonalds drive-through on the opposite side of the road benefits from a long stretch of road leading up to it and even that is far from problem-free when the road is busy.

“If food and drink companies are looking to establish themselves in Milngavie, there are empty units in the precinct and elsewhere which they can take a look at.

"With the climate emergency now clearly unfolding around us, we need to move away from building more car-based developments.”

Magell told the Herald they were “exploring options” over exactly who would occupy the site and would like to hear the views of the local community.

The company said around 50 new jobs are anticipated to be created as a result of the new development.

The public can access the events at www.magell-westretailpark.co.uk