A plan to build a new Tesco superstore on the west side of Aberdeen has been recommended for approval.

Aberdeen City Council's Planning Committee will consider the application for the 5,561 square metre store with 407 car parking spaces on the site of the former Woodend Hospital annexe at Rousay Drive, when it meets on Thursday.

The site, which has lain vacant since the late 1980s, comprises rough grass, with parts used as informal parking areas.

The fully-glazed front of the shop will be on the Lang Stracht. The entrance to the car park will be on Rousay Drive.

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In her report, head of planning and infrastructure, Dr Margaret Bochel writes: "A superstore in west Aberdeen is unlikely to have an adverse effect on any existing town centre and would not necessarily compete with existing local convenience shopping facilities as they cater for everyday needs, as distinct from the large weekly shopping role of superstores."

She continues: "Whilst there has been a substantial amount of new convenience retail floorspace development in the city in the last 10 years this has not been in west Aberdeen. Though there is public transport access to all these stores, the connections are inconvenient from west Aberdeen and evidence indicates that 70% of the goods required by residents in west Aberdeen are purchased outwith this area and it is most likely that these purchases involve travel by car.

"A new superstore in west Aberdeen would therefore attract a large proportion of the convenience shopping that currently takes place in existing stores outwith the area and represents a significant scale of retail expenditure involving a considerable amount of travelling."

(GK/JM)