Mitchell Way Demolition Works
Letter from Councillor Martin Rooney, Leader of West Dunbartonshire Council in response to our letter of concern with Mitchell Way Demolition Works. (April 2023: This has been unchanged in any way.)
(Mitchell Way Demolition Works)
I thank you for your letter of the 19th April in relation to the delayed demolition to the redundant shopunits at Mitchell Way, Alexandria.
Since we, as Councillors, took a decision in August 2022 to allow Lidl to demolish the units as part of the deal to allow the construction of the new Lidl foodstore, we too are concerned at the ongoing delay in delivering this further step towards the wider regeneration of the Alexandria Town Centre.
As I understand it, there was an initial delay caused by a requirement to apply separately for permission to demolish. The required consent was applied for and issued in November 2022. In the interim period Lidl reported that their funding window for the demolition for financial year 22/23 (they have to apply centrally for funds for works) had been missed.
The Council then suggested an amendment to the contract of sale to allow it to fund the works in the nterim and recover the costs from Lidl when the sale proceeded. On this basis, we anticipated that the works would commence shortly.
There has been a soft strip of some elements prior to demolition proper commencing however we remain concerned at the lack of progress and our Assets Teamcontinue to press Lidl to progress the works without further delay.
Neither myself, nor the officers I have discussed the matter with are aware of any issue around Health and Safety having been raised.
If there are particular concerns you would wish to raise, or indeed if they have been raised elsewhere previously, it would be really helpful if they could be notified to our Assets Team, marked for the attention of Michelle Lynn at michelle.lynn@west-dunbarton.gov.uk.
Clearly any matter which poses a risk to the public will require to be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
As regards your issue with communication, I note that the Council have sought to let the community know about what is happening through local media and in the wider context regeneration officers have discussed activity in Alexandria with local forums and have on at least one occasion recently attended the Community Council Meeting.
Nonetheless I will ask that any such updates on regeneration activity are copied directly to yourself for the Community Council and I will also ask that any details on the disposal to Lidl and the related demolition are also included.
In the meantime I have asked that officers in the Assets Team directly communicate the current position regarding progress and / or issues regarding the Lidl Development and the demolition of Mitchell Way to the Community Council.
I hope this letter will assist your understanding of the current position and provide you with assurance that the Council is attempting to resolve the issue of the demolition with minimum delay.
Yours sincerely
COUNCILLOR MARTIN ROONEY, BSC.HONS
LEADER OF THE COUNCIL
