A MULTI-MILLION-POUND life sciences facility has been officially opened in the Highlands by the Deputy First Minister.
John Swinney met companies already working in the £4.5 million Inverness Campus, known as Solasta House, yesterday.
Eight firms are housed in the building so far, and capacity is expected to reach 75% by summer.
Swinney was given a first-hand look at the research and development activity already going on at the site.
He said: “It gives me great pleasure to open Solasta House, which represents the latest stage of the development of the Inverness Campus and reaffirms our commitment to invest and grow the £5.2 billion Scottish life sciences sector. The new laboratory and business space will support the development of innovative products and services in health science and technology, such as those demonstrated at today’s business showcase, and bolster the region’s reputation as a place for state-of-the-art facilities and company growth support.”
More than 900 employees are based at the campus with future plans including the development of a new hotel and collaborative work with the University of the Highlands and Islands. Professor Lorne Crerar, Highlands and Islands Enterprise chair, said the development has seen a “strong ethos of collaboration”.
“I am delighted that the Deputy First Minister has been able to see some examples of that today, as well as meeting some of the young people attracted to the region by the opportunities presented by the growth in life sciences and technology,” he added.
“The growth of activity here reflects the attraction of Inverness Campus to investors and businesses, as well as the continued growth in the life sciences sector in our region.”
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