New images of a proposed £40 million life sciences facility in Aberdeen designed to double the size of the industry in the north-east have been revealed.
Plans have now been officially put forward to Aberdeen City Council for a Bio Therapeutics Hub at the Foresterhill Health Campus, close to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
The project has been backed with £20million of capital funding from the UK and Scottish Governments through the Aberdeen City Region Deal.
If approved by planners, the 69,000 square foot development could provide space for established life sciences companies, start-ups, and more – as well as facilities for events, conferences and networking
And if all goes to plan, the project could open its first phase by 2021.
The economic development body Opportunity North East (ONE), which was established to diversify the north-east economy away from a dependency on oil and gas, has committed an additional £3.6 million of its own funding over seven years to help operate the hub once it has open.
Professor Stephen Logan, chairman of the ONE Life Sciences board, said: “This is an exciting project for the region and we are now beginning the formal planning approval process for the hub and with the local authority.
“It draws on the significant assets in and around the Foresterhill Health Campus and will realise the opportunity we have to bring forward the next generation of medical therapies and products and grow our company cluster.
“Our target is to double the number of life sciences here by 2027.”
