Craigleith Retail Park
HarrisonStevens were commissioned to lead the design and consultation exercise on this exemplar project, incorporating blue-green infrastructure, manage surface water run-off and develop a wide range of co-benefits for the Craigleith Retail Park, located in Edinburgh.
- Year
- 2022
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Category
- Green/blue Infrastructure, Streets and Squares, Details and materials
Grey Infrastructure to a Blue Green Infrastructure Exemplar
At Craigleith Retail Park in Edinburgh, a bold vision is taking shape—one that reimagines a standard car park as a vibrant, resilient landscape designed to work in harmony with nature.
This project seizes the opportunity to incorporate blue-green infrastructure into an otherwise grey urban environment, turning an everyday space into a living system that helps manage surface water run-off while offering a host of wider benefits. From improved biodiversity and climate resilience to enhanced visitor experience, the project is a demonstration of how even the most functional areas can become spaces of ecological and social value.
Collaborative Design Grounded in Ecology and Experience
To turn this vision into reality, the owners of the retail park and the Partner Ecosystem appointed HarrisonStevens and Civic Engineers to lead the concept design, working closely with site owners Nuveen and now Realty, property managers Savills, and the wider Partner Ecosystem. From the beginning, the approach was collaborative, inclusive, and grounded in the lived experiences of those who use the site. Tenants, local residents, and customers were all invited to share their views, helping to establish a baseline that would guide the design process. This early engagement ensured that the evolving plans reflected not just ecological ambitions, but also the real needs of the community.
Alongside the stakeholder engagement, an in-depth ecology survey was undertaken to identify existing natural assets and inform future interventions. With expert support from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, the team developed a series of carefully considered features, including bio-retention areas and Stockholm tree pits—innovative systems that help manage stormwater while also introducing greenery and habitat value. These interventions are more than functional upgrades; they represent a new way of thinking about infrastructure—where engineering meets ecology, and where resilience is built into the landscape itself.
