Date Created: 18 January 2012
Scotland's most dynamic industries are to be supported by the creation of four enterprise area across the country. Covering 14 different sites, the new initiative is aimed at those industries with the greatest potential to create jobs, attract investment and drive economic growth.
The enterprise areas will cover life sciences, two low carbon and renewable areas and general manufacturing and growth sectors.
The Scottish Government's Finance Secretary, John Swinney, announced the new enterprise areas while visiting GlaxoSmithKline's facility in Irvine which will form part of the Life Sciences Enterprise Area.
Scotland's life sciences sector has an annual turnover of £3 billion and great potential for further growth. Irvine will be joined by sites in Moray, the Highlands, Edinburgh and Midlothian.
The Low Carbon and Renewables North Enterprise Area will focus on sites in Orkney, the Western Isles and the Highlands while the Low Carbon and Renewables East area will cover the ports of Dundee and Leith.
The Manufacturing and Growth Sectors Enterprise Area will include Creative Clyde in Glasgow and Prestwick International in South Ayrshire and build on Scotland's competitive advantage across a number of industries.
Each site will offer specific incentives designed to attract private investment and capitalise on the potential of Scotland's growth industries.
Mr Swinney said:
"As a Government we are doing all we can to support jobs and create the best possible business conditions to achieve sustainable economic growth for Scotland. Enterprise Areas are another means to help us achieve this and form a key part of our Government Economic Strategy.
"We have worked closely with our enterprise agencies to select sites which can exploit opportunities in growth sectors and in many cases these will help create jobs in areas of Scotland that are facing challenging economic conditions. They represent the strategic locations in our key sectors with clear, achievable opportunities for development in the short term."
Jim McFarlane said:
"The new Enterprise Area programme is great news for Scotland and will be key to encouraging greater business growth and investment.
"We particularly welcome the focus on manufacturing and anticipate that all the designated areas will offer significant potential to stimulate and deliver new jobs in some of Scotland's leading industry sectors such as renewable energy, life sciences and creative industries."
Find out why your company should invest in Scotland
Life Sciences Enterprise Area:
- i3 Irvine Innovation and Industry Park (North Ayrshire)
- Annickbank (North Ayrshire)
- Forres (Moray)
- Inverness Campus (Highland)
- BioQuarter (Edinburgh)
- Biocampus (Midlothian)
Low Carbon / Renewables North Enterprise Area:
- Hatston (Orkney)
- Arnish (Western Isles)
- Nigg (Highland)
- Scrabster (Highland)
- Lyness (Orkney)
Low Carbon / Renewables East Enterprise Area:
- Dundee Port (Dundee)
- Port of Leith (Edinburgh
General Manufacturing and Growth Sectors Enterprise Area:
- Creative Clyde (Glasgow)
- Prestwick International (South Ayrshire)