A property development company has submitted a package of planning applications as part of a major redevelopment of former Tesco-owned sites.

Glasgow-based London & Scottish Investments Ltd (LSI) wants to build the projects in East Kilbride, Paisley, Crieff, Aviemore, Cupar, Cowdenbeath, Thurso, Kilmarnock, Dalkeith and Glasgow Springburn which it acquired from the supermarket in August 2015.

The new developments are expected to create over 500,000 square feet of food and non-food retail space, resulting in thousands of new jobs across ten Scottish communities.

Local planning applications have been submitted, or will be submitted imminently, for eight of the ten sites. As East Kilbride and Paisley are major developments, a 12-week period of statutory public consultation must be carried out before submission of a planning application which are expected to be lodged in spring 2016.

A number of other sites acquired by LSI from Tesco are earmarked for residential development. Further details will be announced in early 2016.

Bryan Wilson, Group Development Director at London & Scottish Investments, said: “This package of planning applications is one of the biggest that Scotland has ever seen. The economic redevelopment of these vacant sites is fantastic news not just for the communities around them, but for the Scottish economy as a whole as we expect thousands of new jobs to be created as a result.

“We are now in advanced discussions with a number of food and non-food retailers to occupy these developments and hope to be able to announce these in the near future. Subject to securing the necessary approvals, construction work is expected to start in spring and summer 2016.”