A final decision to allow Walgreen’s in Scarborough might come as soon as January, but an engineer working on the project urged the town’s Planning Board to move ahead quickly on the project.

Paul Feinberg, managing partner of GP Scarborough, the project’s applicant, told the planning board that the down-turn in the economy has forced Walgreen’s to pull out of several other projects, but that the chain store has so far decided to move forward with the Scarborough plan.

“We have survived the Walgreen bureaucracy,” said Paul Feinberg, managing partner of GP Scarborough, the project’s applicant. “Given the economic conditions, they have reconsidered this store along with a lot of other stores and they have withdrawn approval from other stores, so I would ask that we all move expeditiously before they change their minds and the economy doesn’t get any worse.”

The planning board was expected to make a final approval on the project heading into Monday night’s meeting, but engineers and planners working on the project gave the board a large list of changes they made addressing the board’s concerns from the October meeting.

The Department of Environmental Protection hasn’t issued a permit for the project, which also delayed a decision.

“We had received the revisions Monday and the board needs time to digest them,” said Scarborough Assistant Town Planner Jay Chace. “The board also likes to wait until all other state permits are issued and the DEP permit is probably their biggest hurdle moving forward.”

Among the changes addressed at Monday’s meeting were closing the existing driveway on Route 114 and closing an existing driveway on Route 1. The revised plans also calls for adding 50 new parking spots and sharing 20 more with existing businesses.

Board members appeared to like the changes and recommendations and could make a final decision on the project at the Jan. 12 meeting.

“I think it’s going to be a terrific project, and I’m all for it,” said Planning Board member Ronald Mazer.

Walgreens is proposing to build a new store in Oak Hill at the corner of routes 114 and 1 where the vacant Burger King and Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution buildings are. Officials with the store want to tear down both of those buildings and build a new structure that will include a grocery store, pharmacy and a photo station.

Based in Deerfield, Ill., Walgreens is one of the country’s largest pharmacy chains, with 6,941 locations in 49 states. It plans to continue expanding in Maine, where it currently has six stores.

“People can come in for party items, grocery items or most of whatever they need,” said Robert Elfinger, a Walgreens spokesman. “We feel this is a positive for everybody.”

Walgreens looked at Scarborough for a new store because of the town’s diverse development and because of the town’s demographics, said Robert Elfinger, a Walgreens spokesman

“In general, like America, Scarborough residents are aging and the demand for prescription drugs is increasing,” he said. “We have a real estate team that hunts for locations where stores would succeed, and they are rarely ever wrong.”

Walgreens would be good for the town, said Harvey Rosenfeld, executive director and president of the Scarborough Economic Development Corp.

“We want a diversity of good businesses,” Rosenfeld said. “That’s important because Scarborough is growing residentially, and we need that type of development to meet its needs.”

Walgreens would also help spruce up that area of town, Scarborough Town Planner Dan Bacon had said previously. The Burger King has been vacant for nearly three years, he said. The bank recently relocated, leaving that building empty, as well.

“Those two properties aren’t occupied and both would be merged for the new Walgreens,” Bacon said. “I think it helps anchor the center of town and Oak Hill Plaza. The corner hasn’t been as attractive as it could be.”