The Scarborough Planning Board unanimously approved plans for a Wal-Mart Supercenter, Lowe’s home improvement store and the multi-lot subdivision they will be part of Monday, and also learned that Wal-Mart is close to finding a tenant for its existing property.

Development on the Scarborough Gallery may begin as early as this summer, said Ben Devine, principal of Great Island Acquisitions, the project’s developer.

Representatives from Lowe’s and Wal-Mart could not say when they will begin construction on their facilities, but did say it will take 10, and eight to nine months respectively, to complete their new buildings.

In addition, the board also approved an amended site plan for the existing Wal-Mart, which was required because Gallery Boulevard will use of some of the property and some other changes also will be made there.

There has been some concern about the future redevelopment of the existing Wal-Mart and the possibility that it may remain vacant for a long period of time.

To ensure that something is done there, the Planning Board specified that Wal-Mart must reappear in 18 months to provide an update on the property.

During that meeting, the board may require additional cosmetic work at the site or allow an extension if Wal-Mart is close to finding a new tenant. If the company does not appear, then the town may levy fines against it ranging from $100 to $2,500 per day per violation.

Wal-Mart Real Estate Manager Tim Baker said the company owns the property and wants to redevelop the site.

“We plan to reuse that asset,” he said.

Contrary to what many believe, Wal-Mart does not discriminate against other retailers redeveloping their old sites and works to redevelop all of its vacant buildings, he said. However, the retailer does not own some of the company’s vacant properties.

“We prefer to have retail; we think there are synergies,” Barker said.

Since the existing Wal-Mart is located in a prime location featuring a nearby Sam’s Club and a super Wal-Mart there is interest the property.

In fact, Baker said he has been negotiating with a company and has come to an agreement “in principle” for the parcel’s future redevelopment. He figures the deal will close soon, maybe as soon as 90 days. He could not provide the name of the potential future tenant, but said it is a retailer.

Any new plans for the site would have to come before the Planning Board. Wal-Mart will be responsible for the site’s upkeep while it owns it.

Also as part of the approval the board ordered the construction of a right-turn lane from Payne Road onto Gallery Boulevard, the development’s new access road.

Traffic engineers felt the lane was not necessary since both stores will not be operating at the same time and suggested the lane be constructed once the existing Wal-Mart site is redeveloped.

But board members felt it would be nice for the town to get ahead of the traffic curve instead of doing something once a problem became obvious.

The board did agree to defer new sidewalks along the Wal-Mart property and another right-turn lane into the Wal-Mart from 114 until the property is redeveloped.

Board members were comfortable with the designs for the new 212,000-square-foot 24-hour Supercenter and said that they are happy with the improvements that have been made during board deliberations.

“By andn large the design has come a long way,” said Planning Board member Tom Farnkoff. “You have come a long way to bring the design up to our standards.”

The board also liked the design for the 138,000-square-foot Lowe’s and passed the plan with little comment.

Great Island Acquisitions has named only two of the subdivision’s future tenants. Following the meeting, Devine said there are three lots that are being looked at as restaurant space and said he thinks that sit-down family restaurants would be successful.

There also is another lot that could be as large as 100,000 square feet, which Devine said would be used for a number of small, higher-end retail shops.

As part of the approval, the Planning Board accepted a plan to offset the filling of four acres of wetlands for Gallery Boulevard with the preservation of 23 acres of land within the subdivision and an additional 55 acres along the Nonesuch River, land Great Island has arranged to purchase from Kerry Anderson.

A drawing of the new Wal-Mart Supercenter.