KIRKCALDY will be the main case study for the design research project. It is has a typical high street. It has some major retailers and local specialist shops but it suffers from competition and repetition of retail outlets  located at peripheral retail parks.           Kirkcaldy is historically known as “The Lang Toun”, which derives from the fact that it is located on the shoreline of the Firth of Forth. The high street is separated from the riverfront by the Esplanade or Promenade, which is a main traffic route traversing the whole length of the town centre. The physicality of the current town layout has effectively made the town centre turn its back on the waterfront environment.