St James Quarter

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Opened in 1970, the St James Centre is the city centre’s primary shopping complex. Often described as the ugliest building in Edinburgh, the centre is home to 57 shops and is anchored by a John Lewis department store.

As part of the wider regeneration of the St James Quarter, the redeveloped St James Centre will restore Edinburgh’s reputation as one of Europe’s leading shopping destinations by:

Effectively doubling the amount of retail floorspace.
Improving the shopping environment by providing a covered crescent-shaped multi-level Galleria.

Acting as a lightly covered street sweeping from Multrees Walk to the centre’s current Princes Street entrance, the Galleria will be roofed in glass but naturally ventilated to give a light and airy environment protected from the elements. The proposed retail offer at the new St James Centre will provide:

• A wide variety of retailers - from boutique shops and well known local brands to mainstream high street stores and international retailers
• A vibrant shopping experience with a diverse range of high quality shops in a variety of sizes
• A wide range of cafés and restaurants in and around new public squares and spaces
• Strong connections and links with the wider city centre (including Princes Street, Multrees Walk and George Street), by establishing a retail circuit and enhancing the city’s overall shopping experience

Edinburgh is a city looking to compete on a global scale: it is home to the Scottish Parliament and a successful financial sector, and is set to benefit from recent investment in a 21st century transport system. A high calibre retail and leisure offer is required to build on Edinburgh’s reputation and complement its position as a top tourist destination.

Edinburgh city centre’s position as a dominant shopping destination has suffered from a combination of the lack of new development opportunities coinciding with a proliferation of out-of-town shopping malls and retail parks.

• The Scottish capital’s ranking as a UK city shopping destination has fallen dramatically and has been overtaken by towns and cities including Norwich, Croydon and Leicester
• Research commissioned by HGI shows Edinburgh has a retail provision 50% lower than would be expected for a capital and major city. Additionally, the St James Centre is small for the city’s principal shopping complex and does not provide enough large shops

The redevelopment of the St James Quarter is supported by:

• Edinburgh & Lothians Structure Plan 2015: “To consolidate and strengthen Edinburgh city centre as a leisure shopping destination of national importance.”
• The Edinburgh Area Retail Needs Study 2005 (EARNS) commissioned by the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh City Centre Management Company and Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh & Lothian: “An additional 52,500 square metres of retail floor space is required for the city centre by 2012.”
• The finalised Edinburgh City Local Plan: “Further supports the pre-eminence of focusing new retail development in the City Centre Retail Core.”
• The St James Quarter Development Brief, approved by the City of Edinburgh Council: “Any re-development should provide additional floor space over and above that which presently exists, and ensure a diverse retail experience."

 

 

 

“The St James Quarter proposal will improve the fortunes of retail in Edinburgh by offering shoppers a quality experience with an outstanding mix of tenants to match. It will also ensure Edinburgh provides one of the best concentrations of quality retail in the UK. As one of the country’s leading retailers, John Lewis is committed to supporting what is a hugely important project both for the city and for Scotland as a whole.”

Andrew Murphy, John Lewis Edinburgh.

 

 

“Our vision for a contemporary and commercially vibrant development, sensitively integrated into the urban fabric of Edinburgh, is set to dramatically improve the retail offer in the heart of the Scottish capital. The St James Quarter will become one of the most significant regeneration projects in Europe over the next few years and will provide a significant and sustained boost to Edinburgh’s economy.”

Chris Pyne, Director of Property, Shopping Centres (UK), Henderson Global Investors.