Greens concerned about trees at Lidl site in Dunfermline

At a public consultation event in Pitcorthie last week, members of the community were able to ask questions of the retailer's PR and planning representatives on their aim of knocking down the old King Malcolm Hotel and building a supermarket. 

The now abandoned hotel has sat derelict and fenced off since 2020, with no possibility of reopening. Security has been increased several times as problems with repeat intruders led to vandalism and fire raising.

The old King Malcolm Hotel has fallen into disrepair and has become a target of anti-social behaviour since it closed in 2020. (Image: Newsquest)

If they get the go-ahead, Lidl want to open a new supermarket that will be open from 8am to 10pm, Monday to Sunday. 

The Fife branch of the Scottish Greens said they were "pleased to hear of plans for the site that would improve area safety, provide dozens of jobs and serve the community". 

However they added that "it quickly became clear Lidl didn’t much care for the surrounding environment". 

The party's Ryan Blackadder, who stood for the Scottish Greens at this year's general election in the Dunfermline and Dollar constituency, attended the public consultation event and raised the need to protect the trees on Laburnum Road as a priority.

He said that Lidl officials confirmed they had full intention to remove all trees on Laburnum Road and Queensferry Road "for aesthetic purposes" although category A listed trees on Pitcorthie Road, to the rear of the proposed store, would remain.

Mr Blackadder said: “Whilst the demolition of the abandoned King Malcolm Hotel and the benefits of a Lidl store replacing it should be welcomed, the plans are not without fault.

This is what the new Lidl store could look like. (Image: Lidl)

"The grounds of the site are an overgrown mess and no one disputes Lidl’s need to remove bushes, shrubbery and overgrowth from the site.

"However, we believe the majority of the 15 trees on Laburnum Road – the entrance way to the Pitcorthie estate – should remain in place and cause no concern to Lidl’s plans for a huge car park."

Lidl announced in May that they wanted to open new stores in "Dunfermline North and Dunfermline South" and last month they confirmed they had bought land and revived their plans for a supermarket off Admiralty Road in Rosyth. 

Planning permission has existed since 2017 for a nine-store extension at Halbeath Retail Park, which is supposed to include a new Lidl and an M&S Foodhall, amongst others, but not a brick has been laid with little to no progress. 

Now they're focused on the King Malcolm site and Mr Blackadder said: "Residents in attendance raised issues surrounding parking and road safety, proximity to the adjacent primary school and the expected increase in traffic to the area.

"Noise and light pollution were also raised and Lidl had suitable answers for them all, but when it came to protecting our trees the answer was an unsettling confirmation that they will make way for aesthetic purposes.

"Twenty five per cent of the store’s energy will come from solar roof panels but this hardly negates the damage of removing upwards of 25 trees which have stood tall for decades."

Mr Blackadder said that if Lidl decide to progress with the site and submit a planning application, there was still time to tweak their proposals and save the trees. 

He added: "It can easily be determined that the store can be erected without needlessly destroying historic trees that provide badly needed environmental value and add all the 'aesthetic' our community needs from a Lidl car park."

A Lidl spokesperson said: "We are grateful to all those who attended our public consultation and took the time to share their views on our plans, which are still in the early stages of design. It was particularly encouraging to receive so much positive support.

"We will now review all feedback in detail ahead of submitting our planning application and a comprehensive tree survey and ecological report will be carried out to inform our final landscaping plans."