A new modular village at Inverness Campus is to be created by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) after a planning application was lodged with Highland Council.
The economic and community development agency has submitted the plans to the local authority to allow for high-quality small buildings to be developed which will be offered as bases for businesses.
The design, on plot 14 of the site, will allow for the units to be developed relatively quickly and fabricated off site to keep disruption and build time at the campus to a minimum.
Commercial organisations, such as those in the life science and technology sector, will be offered the space with favour given to those looking to collaborate with academic research bodies.
Ruaraidh MacNeil, HIE’s Inverness Campus project director, said: “We are really pleased that this project has reached the planning stage.
“The modular village will see options for new and flexible types of commercial buildings on the site, that are in keeping with the quality building and environmental standards of Inverness Campus.
“When complete, it will offer flexibility to the growing organisations who are benefiting from the advantages of Inverness Campus as a business location.
“It’s great to see progress being made on developments at the campus that will ultimately bring benefits to communities across the Highlands and Islands.
“We are very pleased to be able to progress this project safely in light of the restrictions around Covid-19.”
Engineers Will Rudd Davidson have been appointed by HIE to design the infrastructure roads, utilities and landscaping for the plot located to the south end of the campus.
The construction is part of plans by HIE to develop the 215-acre site at Inverness Campus as the organisation seeks to support the growth in the regions life science and technology sectors, focusing on collaborations between education, research and business.
Inverness south councillor Ken Gowans welcomed the development.
He said: “This is exactly what we should be doing and I am delighted to see this application coming forward.
“We need to develop new industries in Highland and these incubator units will be exactly the kind of thing we need, hats off to HIE for doing this.
“Post Covid, we are going to have to reimagine Highland and this will be one of the first contributions towards that.”
