List of out-of-town shopping centres in the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
There are only about sixteen out of town enclosed shopping centres in the UK (as opposed to open air retail park
s, which do not count as shopping centres in British English
, even though they do in American English
). Under current policy, no more will be built. All other British shopping centres are in town and city centres.
In the 1960s, most town and city centres had seen the development of a major shopping precinct. Birmingham
had the Bull ring centre, Manchester
, the Arndale Centre and Leeds
, the Merrion Centre
. There are still few out of town major shopping centres in the UK.
Brent Cross, which opened in 1976, was the country's first out of town shopping centre.
In some cases such as Meadowhall
in Sheffield
(opened in 1990), they were built because of available land and labour due to the demise of the steel industry in the area.
The Trafford Centre in Manchester
was built on the surplus land belonging to the Manchester Ship Canal
.
The Merry Hill Shopping Centre
in the West Midlands
, which was developed during the 1980s mostly on land previously occupied by Round Oak Steelworks
, is of similar concept to an out-of-town shopping centre, but is generally not considered as an out-of-town shopping centre as it is situated just a few hundred yards to the east of Brierley Hill
town centre and there are actually plans for it to be integrated with the town centre in future developments.
In the case of the White Rose Centre
in Leeds
, it was not due to industrial downfall that it was built, but high retail space prices in the city centre and available contaminated land, close to local motorways, of the right size, and unsuitable for house building. Had the Morley
sewage works not come available it is unlikely such a centre would be in Leeds
.
Retail park
In the United Kingdom, a retail park is a grouping of many retail warehouses and superstores with associated car parking. Its North American equivalent is a power centre. Retail parks are found on the fringes of most large towns and cities in highly accessible locations and are aimed at households...
s, which do not count as shopping centres in British English
British English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
, even though they do in American English
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
). Under current policy, no more will be built. All other British shopping centres are in town and city centres.
In the 1960s, most town and city centres had seen the development of a major shopping precinct. Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
had the Bull ring centre, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, the Arndale Centre and Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, the Merrion Centre
Merrion Centre
The Merrion Centre in Dublin, Ireland is a shopping centre situated at the junction of Nutley Lane with Merrion Road. It serves the community of Dublin 4. It is anchored by the Tesco supermarket and the Japanese embassy is located in the centre....
. There are still few out of town major shopping centres in the UK.
Brent Cross, which opened in 1976, was the country's first out of town shopping centre.
In some cases such as Meadowhall
Meadowhall
Meadowhall is an indoor shopping centre in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It lies three miles north east of Sheffield city centre and four miles from Rotherham town centre....
in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
(opened in 1990), they were built because of available land and labour due to the demise of the steel industry in the area.
The Trafford Centre in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
was built on the surplus land belonging to the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
.
The Merry Hill Shopping Centre
Merry Hill Shopping Centre
Westfield Merry Hill is a shopping centre in Brierley Hill near Dudley, West Midlands, England. It was developed between 1985 and 1990, with several expansion and renovation projects taking place since. The original developers and owners were Richardson Developments but the Centre has had a number...
in the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, which was developed during the 1980s mostly on land previously occupied by Round Oak Steelworks
Round Oak Steelworks
The Round Oak Steelworks were an important steel production plant in Brierley Hill, West Midlands , England. It was founded by Lord Ward, later the Earl of Dudley in 1857 as an outlet for pig iron made in the nearby blast furnaces. During the Industrial Revolution, the majority of iron-making in...
, is of similar concept to an out-of-town shopping centre, but is generally not considered as an out-of-town shopping centre as it is situated just a few hundred yards to the east of Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill is a town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. It is one of the larger Black Country towns with a population of 9,631 and is heavily industrialised, best known for glass and steel manufacturing, although the industry has declined...
town centre and there are actually plans for it to be integrated with the town centre in future developments.
In the case of the White Rose Centre
White Rose Centre
The White Rose Centre is a shopping centre in the Churwell area of the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It spans two floors and is linked to the M621 motorway. It takes its name from the White Rose of York, the traditional symbol of Yorkshire. The Upper Level houses the Centre's 'Upper...
in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, it was not due to industrial downfall that it was built, but high retail space prices in the city centre and available contaminated land, close to local motorways, of the right size, and unsuitable for house building. Had the Morley
Morley, West Yorkshire
Morley is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies approximately south-west of Leeds city centre. Together with Drighlington, Gildersome, Churwell, Tingley and East/West Ardsley, the town had a population of 47,579 in...
sewage works not come available it is unlikely such a centre would be in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
.
South East
- Bluewater, GreenhitheGreenhitheGreenhithe is a town in Dartford District of Kent, England. It forms part of the civil parish of Swanscombe and Greenhithe.Greenhithe, as it is spelled today, is located where it was possible to build wharves for transshipping corn, wood and other commodities; its largest cargoes were of chalk and...
, KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
(serves LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) - Lakeside Shopping CentreLakeside Shopping CentreThe Lakeside Shopping Centre is a large out-of-town shopping centre located in West Thurrock, in the borough of Thurrock, Essex just beyond the eastern boundary of Greater London...
, ThurrockThurrockThurrock is a unitary authority with borough status in the English ceremonial county of Essex. It is part of the London commuter belt and an area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The local authority is Thurrock Council....
, EssexEssexEssex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
Yorkshire
- MeadowhallMeadowhallMeadowhall is an indoor shopping centre in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It lies three miles north east of Sheffield city centre and four miles from Rotherham town centre....
, SheffieldSheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, South YorkshireSouth YorkshireSouth Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield... - White Rose CentreWhite Rose CentreThe White Rose Centre is a shopping centre in the Churwell area of the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It spans two floors and is linked to the M621 motorway. It takes its name from the White Rose of York, the traditional symbol of Yorkshire. The Upper Level houses the Centre's 'Upper...
, LeedsLeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, West YorkshireWest YorkshireWest Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Scotland
- BraeheadBraeheadBraehead is a commercial development located at the former site of Braehead Power Station in Renfrew on the south bank of the River Clyde in Renfrewshire. It is particularly notable for its large shopping centre, arena and leisure facilities....
, RenfrewshireRenfrewshireRenfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
near GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... - Silverburn CentreSilverburn CentreSilverburn is an 'out of town' shopping centre located on Barrhead Road in Pollok, Glasgow, Scotland. The development replaces the 75 acre Pollok centre with a brand new shopping centre, anchored by Tesco, Next, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams....
, PollokPollokPollok is a large district on the south-western side of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It was built to house families from the overcrowded inner city...
, GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
Wales
- Bridgend Designer Outlet, BridgendBridgendBridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
- Morfa Retail Park, SwanseaSwanseaSwansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
- Newport Retail ParkNewport Retail ParkNewport Retail and Leisure Park is an out-of-town shopping centre in the city of Newport, South Wales. It is located in the Lliswerry area of the city and is accessed via the Southern Distributor Road .The retail park is large and is home to many shop units, car sales garages and restaurants...
, NewportNewportNewport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... - Parc TrostreParc TrostreParc Trostre is an out-of-town retail park in Llanelli, West Wales. It is located at the Trostre roundabout off the A484 road.The first phase of the development occurred in 1988, consisting of stores such as Tesco...
, LlanelliLlanelliLlanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby...