Jobs to be created by £25m plans

Developers are confident the site will be popular, despite the credit crunch

Up to 450 jobs could be created in Kirriemuir if a new shopping, business, tourism and industrial estate is given the go-ahead, according to developers.

Macdonald Estates and Muirhead Estates have submitted a planning application to Angus Council for land south of Beechwood Place and Forfar Road.

The firms plan to invest £25m pounds in the development, and also aim to build homes at the site in the future.

The developers hope the project will encourage more people to shop locally.

'Vast sums'

Development Manager at Macdonald Estates Neil Galloway explained: "Our initial research would indicate that approximately 60 or 70% of the population [of Kirriemuir] all jump in their cars and do all of their shopping outwith the town and that's due to a lack of existing facilities.

"So it's really to stop the flow of people leaving the town and going elsewhere to the Forfars and the Dundees of this world, so it's keeping the expenditure in the town."

The plans are for a medium-sized supermarket, along with commercial, industrial, community and tourism facilities - such as a bus park where coaches can wait while visitors explore the town where Peter Pan creator JM Barrie was born.

Along with the 450 full and part-time jobs created within the project, the developers said there would be additional jobs during its construction.

And they are confident they will be able to attract firms to the site despite the economic downturn.

"We wouldn't be doing this if we weren't confident," Mr Galloway said.

"Times are tough but there are still opportunities out there and all the parties are investing vast sums of money to drive this project forward."

If planning permission is granted, it is thought work on the site could begin in Spring 2010.