Fort Kinnaird


(Kinnaird Park)

An out-of-town retail park comprising medium and large units on the southeastern edge of Edinburgh, Fort Kinnaird shopping park lies alongside the A1 Trunk Road, between Niddrie and Newcraighall, 3 miles (5 km) east southeast of the city centre. Occupying the site of the former Newcraighall Colliery, which closed in 1968, Fort Kinnaird was developed in three phases from 1990. This was the UK's largest out-of-town retail park when it opened, but is now reduced to the 4th largest (2008). The first phase was known as Kinnaird Park and included a 12-screen UCI cinema and a Megabowl bowling alley (both the first of these American-style facilities in Edinburgh), together with associated restaurants. The second phase, known as The Fort, was developed on the opposite side of Newcraighall Road. The third phase connected the preceding two and was designed by architects Geoffrey Reid Associates for Pillar Property in 2006.

Fort Kinnaird consists of 57 bland retail units, food outlets and associated offices, of no real architectural merit, comprising 53,883 sq. m (580,000 sq. feet) of accommodation and attracts 12 million visitors annually (2008). There are more than 2000 car parking spaces. It was purchased by British Land in 2005, passing to a partnership between Hercules Unit Trust and the Crown Estate in 2007.

Between 2008-10, redevelopment of part of the first phase took place, with the cinema, bowling alley and restaurants demolished, and the park extended to the north onto the site of the former Melrose Tea Factory.


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