Work to start soon on £11 million rural and veterinary innovation centre for Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) heralding further jobs boost to Inverness Campus
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Hundreds of jobs are set to be created at Inverness Campus in the coming years as key projects come to fruition and development continues.
The site, owned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), is already making a significant contribution to growing the region’s life sciences sector.
Work is now about to begin in the coming weeks in preparation for the construction of an £11 million rural and veterinary innovation centre for Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).
It will harness expertise in big data and research into animal epidemiology to create and grow businesses.
Expected to be completed in about 18 months, the centre will join two other major projects which are already under way – the £32 million National Treatment Centre for NHS Highland and a £9 million life sciences innovation centre – while hopes are high the number of businesses at the site will double.
These will add a growing vibrancy to the site near Inshes Retail Park.
Ruaraidh MacNeil, director of business infrastructure at HIE, said the three major development projects between them will create 1300 to 1400 jobs.
“These are high-value career jobs,” he said.
“These are very exciting times.
“The next five to 10 years will be more exciting as we will be continuing the growth trajectory for the region.”
An announcement is also set to be made later this year on the development of a new outdoor all-weather sports pitch at the campus in a project being led by Highland Council in conjunction with High Life Highland.
So far £150 million has been invested in the campus while design work and planning on a second development phase is expected to come together early next year and will increase the sites for development to service the campus for the next 10 to 15 years.
“We are starting to get a critical mass,” Mr MacNeil said.
“We have about 45,000 sq m of buildings.
“When you think about it, we only opened in 2015 so that is not a bad start.”
Mr MacNeil said the presence of both the SRUC and the University of the Highlands and Islands was starting to draw in more businesses to the campus.
“We have about 15 or 16 businesses on site,” he said.
“We are looking to double that in the next two or three years.
“To do that we need to keep investing in the infrastructure and working with organisations to make an attractive environment.”
Mr MacNeil acknowledged the challenges of the Covid pandemic which had delayed some developments plus rising costs and difficulties in obtaining building materials.
But he remained upbeat.
“I am extremely confident we will do it,” he said.
“We have a lot of work ahead of us.”
With planning permission granted, and the funding package confirmed, the team at the SRUC Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre is looking for new and existing small to medium-sized animal biotech businesses interested in joining as potential partners.
The centre will offer development laboratories and business facilities.
Professor Wayne Powell, principal and chief executive of SRUC, said the new centre would be an important addition to expanding the biotech community in Inverness.
“The new centre will grow jobs and the economy,” he said.
“With a heightened awareness of the link between human and animal epidemiology, this new initiative is at the right time and in the right place.”
Plans approved for £11m rural and veterinary innovation centre
