Scarborough Muir Group (SMG) said more than 100 jobs will be created on the four acre site in Donibristle Industrial Estate, at the entrance to the town, which will also have a drive-through coffee shop and commercial unit. Councillors had agreed the plans in January but a legal agreement, which will see the council receive £50,000 as compensation for the loss of employment land, was only agreed this month. Construction is due to start next summer with the retail units set to be trading by Christmas 2016.

William McAlister, director of SMG, said, “We are delighted to have received support from Fife Council for our scheme that will make a significant contribution to Fife, providing much needed facilities and bringing local jobs to the area.

“Aldi’s decision to open a foodstore on the site is testament to the prominent location of the scheme and we are confident that we will secure other high-quality occupiers for the drive-thru coffee restaurant and commercial unit.” The firm has owned the site on Ridge Way since 2008 and the plans include a 16,850 sq ft Aldi store, a Martson’s Inns pub / restaurant, a 10,000 sq ft commercial unit and 205 car parking spaces. SMG and Aldi are now ready to submit detailed planning applications to Fife Council.

Robert Stoddart, property director for Aldi, said, “We are very excited at the prospect of bringing an Aldi store to Dalgety Bay.

“Our brand is very popular with Fife shoppers and we received lots of support from the Dalgety Bay community during the consultation process.” Dalgety Bay Community Council chairman, Colin McPhail, said, “We know that this development proposal has been going on since 2013.

“I think there’s no objection from the community council, we’ve been working with the developers.

“However, things have moved on since the application was made, because, at the town centre, we have three empty premises now.” The Press reported in January fears that the development could create a “second town centre” and draw customers away from existing shops existed.

At the time, council service manager Mary Stewart admitted there was a “difficult balance between competing issues” but that the “economic benefits of the scheme are significant”.

Mr McPhail said, “Since the agreement has been made things have changed in the town centre and the council should be trying to maintain the existing one before a new one exists.” He added, “Everybody is happy with the Aldi and then there’s the Marstons pub/restaurant.

“What we’ve fought for was perhaps a hotel to serve people coming to visit the industrial estate but that got turned down.”