Scotland's biggest Next store coming to Lothians

Plans have been unveiled to bring Scotland's biggest Next store to a retail park on the outskirts of Edinburgh in a move that will create more than 100 jobs.
Next has pre-let an 80,000sq ft site at the Straiton retail parkNext has pre-let an 80,000sq ft site at the Straiton retail park
Next has pre-let an 80,000sq ft site at the Straiton retail park

Peel Retail Parks, owner of the Straiton development in Midlothian, said the 80,000 square foot development has been pre-let to the fashion and furnishings retailer.

Building work has already started on the site, which previously housed a Homebase branch, and the new store is set to open in June, replacing an existing outlet at Straiton. Once completed, it will become the largest Next store in Scotland and one of the retailer’s biggest out-of-town units in the UK.

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The new branch, offering clothing, homewares and a click and collect service, will create 110 jobs. Straiton also houses retailers including Halfords, Matalan, Nike and Sofaworks.

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Mark Whittaker, group property director at Peel Land & Property, said: “The continued investment, development and focus on design progression at Straiton has enabled Peel and Next to exchange contracts to deliver what will become the largest Next store in Scotland.

“Peel has for the last five years been working hard on repositioning Straiton and we are delighted that we are now in a position to announce this truly transformational deal.”

He added: “Benefiting from its strategic central position on the City of Edinburgh bypass, with retailers reporting exceptional like-for-like sales growth, we feel Straiton is perfectly placed to position itself firmly in the upper tier of the UK retail hierarchy, bringing significant economic benefits to the wider Edinburgh area.

“We will now continue the exceptional momentum we have generated and focus on bringing more exciting retail and leisure providers to the park, developing our unbuilt planning consent and delivering against our business plan.”