UHI Inverness leased unit to develop new SSEN-backed Sustainable Construction Centre
Highland property investment and development company, Ark Estates, has leased a commercial unit to UHI Inverness to develop a new Sustainable Construction Centre on the site.
University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) Inverness has secured funding from the SSEN Regional Community Benefit Fund towards the costs of developing the centre. The premises on Harbour Road were previously occupied by tool hire firm HSS Hire, which announced its closure late last year, leading to a number of redundancies.
Having agreed a long-term lease with building owner, Ark Estates, UHI Inverness is set to breathe new life into the site by establishing a Sustainable Construction Centre — with the modern campus boasting classrooms, workshops and a social area. The new state-of-the-art centre replaces UHI Inverness’ previous training facility nearby at Burnett Road to support the expansion of its construction-related curriculum to meet growing demand for skills in the construction and renewable energy sectors.
Ark Estates managing director, Willie Gray said: “We are delighted to welcome UHI Inverness as the new tenant of 58 Harbour Road. The unexpected closure of the HHS Hire branch there led to a number of job losses locally, so it is great to see the establishment of the new Sustainable Construction Centre on the site, which will train the next generation of skilled workers across sectors such as construction and renewable energy.
“As we are doing with all commercial units across our portfolio, we have invested heavily in making sure 58 Harbour Road is as energy efficient as possible with the installation of the latest clean energy solutions making the building as close to net zero as we can get with retrofitting an existing structure.”
