Glasgow Fort Shopping Park
- Property overview
Glasgow Fort is located at Junction 10 of the M8 Motorway. The Park incorporates a two-sided mall design recreating the high street, which is a new concept for shopping parks in the UK. It opened in October 2004, bringing 1,500 new jobs to the area. It is now home to 85 shops and attracts 13 million visitors a year. It is managed by an on-site team, with Montagu Evans acting as managing agents.
- Our use of resources
25% of waste was recycled, diverting 334 tonnes from landfill. The Park currently recycles cardboard and glass. The team is working with our waste contractor on a pilot project to recycle paper and aluminium cans. They are also looking into the feasibility of on-site and off-site segregation of waste.
The team launched a car share scheme and started selling discounted travel cards in the management suite. These initiatives aim to reduce single car use and increase use of public transport. This will ease traffic congestion, free up parking spaces on-site and cut carbon emissions. It follows a travel survey completed by retail employees, which revealed opportunities to reduce single car use.
- Our customers and us
Nearly 700 people attended our annual jobs fair, with 25 retailers filling 174 vacancies. The event was organised in partnership with Careers Scotland, Jobcentre Plus, John Wheatley College and Glasgow Fort retailers. This helps retailers to fill vacancies during the busy Christmas season, whilst helping local people to access employment opportunities at Glasgow Fort. Advice and guidance was available to support job seekers at various stages of their career, as well as help with form filling, training opportunities, benefits and childcare advice.
- Our communities and us
Nearly 200 schoolchildren from Glasgow's East End lent a hand to plant over 4,500 plants, creating a wildflower meadow at Glasgow Fort. The children were joined by volunteers from the British Trust for Conservation and Kelvin Clyde Greenspace. Assistant Manager of Kelvin Clyde Greenspace, Jackie Gillespie, said: "Biodiversity projects such as this are of prime importance to both local wildlife and environmental education." The plants were chosen for their colour and attractiveness, for being nectar rich or food plants for butterflies, and for their suitability for the ground conditions at Glasgow Fort. The project was funded by British Land and Kelvin Clyde Greenspace. It involved children from three local primary schools, Avenue End, Provan Hall and St Rose of Lima.
This has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience for all the children concerned and a great opportunity for them to be involved in their community.
Glasgow Fort provided use of space to a number of charities, enabling them to raise both funds and awareness. These included the Easterhouse Army Cadets who held a fundraising event for PoppyScotland. At Christmas time, several school choirs and community bands performed to raise money, including the Easterhouse Baptist Church Choir, Kirkintilloch Brass Band and Wellhouse Primary School.
60 students from ten East End schools participated in the Schools Enterprise Day. They set up stalls within a dedicated marquee on the Park, selling products that they had made themselves. These included Christmas ornaments, flower arrangements, sweet baskets, bookmarks and calendars. All profits were donated to the schools' chosen charities.
Around 40 children participated in an Eco Challenge to design proposals for reducing the carbon footprint of their schools. Children from three local primary schools, Garrowhill, Sunnyside and St Joachim's, gave presentations to a panel of judges who awarded prizes of up to £150. The panel included representatives from Glasgow East Regeneration Agency and Glasgow City Council.
The pupils demonstrated in abundance that innovation is alive and well in our schools. For some of the pupils the Eco Challenge was an early experience and introduction to innovation. I am also sure that this resulted in a strong educational outcome for the children. Well done British Land, Glasgow East Regeneration Agency and all of the pupils who participated in this innovative Eco Challenge.
British Land 2009. All Rights Reserved.
For our full Corporate Responsibility Report: britishland.com/crReport/2009