Planning granted for St James Quarter

Outline planning consent has been granted for the £850m St James Quarter development in Edinburgh, which has been masterplanned by BDP and Allan Murray Architects.

Located in a World Heritage Site, the masterplan's vision is to create a retail circuit that engages with the three natural levels of the site, in addition to improving the quality and quantity of Edinburgh’s retail offer. The development is multi-use at upper levels, above the retail, to create a vibrant and sustainable new city quarter.

The plans will see the 1970's St James Centre demolished to make way for new shops, bars and restaurants and two hotels, doubling the size of retail provision.  The scheme will also include 250 homes, offices and a public square. The project is due to be completed by 2016.

Peter Coleman, director of BDP said: “Our challenge was to design a contemporary and commercially successful development that will sensitively integrate into the urban fabric of Edinburgh. The concept for the enclosed shopping street is to form a timeless place for shopping which responds to changing retail trends. Customers are demanding a higher quality retail offer and larger range of shops. The St James project will transform the retail core in the city.”