Blar Mhor Roundabout

Direction sign on the A830 approach from the east

The Blar Mhor Roundabout is a new roundabout constructed on the A830 at the Blar Mhor, north of Caol, Fort William to provide access to the proposed new Tesco Superstore and Retail Park for the town. Completed in late 2012, the roundabout is on the site of the old T-junction turning into the Blar Mhor Industrial Estate, and provides two additional arms to the junction, one for the Tesco and one for the retail park. Additional future development will also be served from one of these two roads.

Ironically, as the roundabout was completed Tesco refused to confirm a start date for the new store, and in 2015, Tesco sold their site to the Highland Council for £2 million, with the council immediately passing the land to the NHS Board for the construction of the new Belford Hospital. This makes the construction of a superstore or retail park on the site ever less likely.

As recently as 2021, signage in the area was still misleading. Heading west, the two new arms are labelled as Superstore and Police Station / Deliveries only (heading clockwise). However, the only building currently occupied is off the second road, and is the new police Station and Ambulance depot. Heading east, both directions had been painted out, but subseuqently revealed again. In early 2022, patches were applied to all references to Superstore or Deliveries.

Since 2019, work has been ongoing by the council and housing association to build a substantial new housing estate to the north east of the roundabout, although despite many of the properties looking complete, the roads and access are not. All site access is via the proposed Supermarket access, although it is anticipated that residents will access the development past the police station.

On the opposite side of the A830, the road providing access to the pre-existing industrial estate is also the protected corridor for the proposed Caol Link Road, which with this development is believed to be a step closer to reality.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
A830	Fort William, Inverness (A82)
A830	Glenfinnan, Malaig
	Blar Mhor Ind Est	proposed Caol Link Road route
	Superstore	Tesco never built the store, and sold the land for a new hospital
	Police Station, Delivery Vehicles Only