PLANNING GRANTED FOR DUNDEE INNOVATION HUB

Plans for a £4.75 million hub for sustainable mobility and decarbonisation in Dundee have been given the green light.

The 1,215 sq m innovation hub at the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP), a joint venture between Michelin, Dundee City Council and Scottish Enterprise, will be a purpose-built facility which aims to drive growth and diversity in the Scottish economy whilst addressing the global climate emergency.

Being delivered by Robertson Construction and Holmes Miller, it will be a place where businesses, researchers and challenge-holders can work together on developing, testing, and commercialising new products and services for a sustainable, low carbon future.

The Innovation Hub will be located on the east side of MSIP, at the main entrance of the Innovation Parc. The facilities, which will include hot-desking, meetings rooms, event spaces, design workshops and a café, will be available to everyone working on the Innovation Parc and others that can benefit from what it offers.

Dundee City Council previously secured £3.5 million of funding from the Tay Cities Deal Industrial Investment Fund to support the Innovation Hub. Detailed design work is already underway, and the planning application has been submitted.

Robertson Construction was appointed in 2020 as the build contractor for MSIP’s wider transformation programme, which was procured through Procurement Hub Major Projects framework. Construction will begin on the Innovation Hub in early 2022 with completion expected by the end of October 2023.

Chief operating officer at MSIP Colin Mcilraith said: “It’s great news that our planning application has been approved. We’ve made significant progress with phase one of our £20m transformation programmes, which is nearing completion. I’m excited that we have now started phase two of that programme. I look forward to seeing our innovation hub come to life.”