CASE Helps With Face-Lift for Forss
15th January 2003
Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise (CASE) is committing over £600,000 towards environmental renewal works aimed at improving the external surroundings of the Forss Business and Technology Park, which is under development near Thurso.
New Park Highland Ltd - developers of the Business and Technology Park - bought the site in November last year. They aim to turn the former Forss US Naval Base into a hi-tech business park, which is set to attract tenants associated with the decommissioning of the Dounreay nuclear plant.
The company is developing the park in stages with phase one due to get underway in the coming weeks. This first phase involves the construction of a 30,000 sq. ft building to house anchor tenants, UKAEA's Major Projects and Engineering Division.
CASE is assisting with phase two of the project and has awarded New Park Highland a grant worth £633,000 towards the £1.2 million cost of upgrading the park's environment. Further phases will involve the complete refurbishment of buildings on the site for let to other businesses.
However, for the park to be an attractive location for businesses to locate to, the external surroundings do require extensive improvements. Assistance from CASE will help pay for the removal of asbestos and petrol tanks and the demolition of a number of unsightly, dilapidated buildings on the site. The environmental renewal project will also see preparation works for infrastructure, such as roads, car parking and soft landscaping as well as drainage works, footpaths, covered walkways and specialist street lighting.
Bruce Pritchard of New Park Highland said, "We are delighted that CASE is partnering us in this development in such a proactive manner. It is vital, in the development of a new technology park that the correct environment and infrastructure is created, both in order to attract tenants to the park and to encourage interaction between tenant companies.
"This grant funding will allow us to create the appropriate infrastructure to ensure that the Forss Business and Technology Park is a sustainable economic driver in Caithness."
The decommissioning of Dounreay is expected to take 50 years and in that time, the far north can expect an influx of inward investors and new business starts looking for accommodation.
Carroll Buxton, chief executive at CASE said: "The conversion of a decaying and derelict site into a hi-tech business and technology park is of major strategic importance.
"As we know, the decommissioning of Dounreay presents us with many potential opportunities and it is necessary to have the infrastructure in place to cope with potential inward investors, the growth of existing businesses and new business starts.
"We are encouraged that New Park Highland, a company from the private sector, has taken the lead on this project and are delighted to play our own part in ensuring its success."
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will return to Norway to host the Scottish Pavilion at Aqua Nor 2025. The Scottish aquaculture supply chain is invited to register their interest to exhibit as part of the pavilion or join the wider Scottish delegation.
A young engineer working on Britain's deepest nuclear clean-up project has been recognised by the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). Liam Gordon (27) won the Young Chemical Engineer of the Year award at the annual showcase event of the Aberdeen branch of IChemE, the professional body for chemical engineers in the UK.
Food and Drink TechHUB will provide financial and advice support to help businesses, including social and community enterprises, with commercial growth and net zero transition activities. Small to medium sized enterprises in the Highland Council area that operate in the food and drink sector and its supply chain are expected to benefit from a new programme of support launched his week.
Businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands looking to reduce the environmental impacts of their operations can now apply to a new Green Grant Fund launched on Thursday 26 September 2024. The three-year £2.7m fund was developed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
A boating club in Unst, a former kirk in Whalsay and a community hall in Fetlar are among projects supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to generate income, provide vital services and create jobs in Shetland's outer isles. Facilities at the Unst Boating Club are being upgraded to become more energy efficient and accessible to visitors and local people.
Up to 50% match funding grants of between £25,000 and £75,000 to help companies accelerate their growth plans. Life sciences businesses in the Highlands and Islands that are looking to invest in capital growth projects will be able to apply for support through a new fund announced today (18 September).
The transformation at John O'Groats has attracted millions of pounds in investment through private, public and community-led initiatives. Monday 9 September 2024 marked the 15th anniversary of a masterplan that has helped to transform John O'Groats from ‘Carbuncle of the Year' to a thriving visitor attraction.
The chief executive of Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd (CMSL) has announced that she is retiring later this month. Susan Smith, who has held the top job at the popular mountain resort near Aviemore for the past five years, has told staff she will leave the company at the end of September.
Caithness-based engineering firm Envision Engineering & Design Ltd is investing in new technology that will help increase business turnover and productivity while cutting carbon emissions. The company has purchased a Leica Geosystems mobile 3D scanner after securing a £6,390 investment from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) towards the total cost of £21,300.
A £5.9m project to create a new whisky distillery within the former derelict Mill at Castletown in Caithness has secured a £250,000 investment from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). Dunnet Bay Distillers Limited (DBDL) is leading the project, which will create 13 jobs.