Dundee's Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc seals deal with Cornwall's Eden Project

Eden Project, the world-famous Cornish eco-attraction that recently unveiled proposals for a Dundee venture, has sealed a tie-up with the city’s Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc.

MSIP is a joint venture between the French industrial giant, Dundee City Council and Scottish Enterprise, founded to regenerate the former Michelin tyre factory site in Dundee

Eden Project recently released the first images of the proposed Dundee development alongside the announcement of the city’s former gasworks being the preferred site for the attraction.

Now a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the pair to “identify innovation and collaboration opportunities” that will “support entrepreneurship ambitions”.

MSIP is a joint venture between Michelin, Dundee City Council and Scottish Enterprise, founded to regenerate the former Michelin tyre factory site in Dundee.

This partnership will allow MSIP to benefit from Eden Project’s expertise across a range of relevant areas, as well as its “extensive experience” in biodiversity, sustainability and community engagement activities.

The Innovation Parc will actively promote Eden Project initiatives, facilities and expertise to tenants and will consider opportunities to promote biodiversity on the Dundee site.

Meanwhile, the Eden Project will have access to MSIP’s skills academy to deliver key courses and modules and explore higher level training opportunities.

Sarah Petrie, innovation director at MSIP, said: “When we heard of Eden Project’s plans for Dundee, we knew there was a strong synergy to MSIP in its vision, focus and ambition – to transform an industrial site into a world-class attraction, focused on the environment and sustainability, to create real regeneration that will benefit Dundee.

“There has been lots of meaningful regeneration happening in Dundee over recent years. MSIP is one part of that, Eden Project is another.

“Together, we will deliver relevant projects focused initially on entrepreneurship and sustainability, that will strengthen our ambition to deliver inclusive economic growth across the city. Through collaboration, we will do great things.”

David Harland, chief executive of Eden Project International, said: “We’re delighted to have formed this partnership with MSIP and look forward to working closely with them as our plans for Eden Project Dundee progress.

“Our work in the city is enabled by the strength and passion of the community and its businesses and institutions. MSIP will play an important role in bringing the Eden Project Dundee plans to fruition.”

In May, it emerged that a former gasworks on Dundee’s waterfront is set to be transformed into a vast new eco-attraction under ambitious plans to bring the Eden Project to Scotland.

An initial agreement has been reached for the long-running industrial site, which is less than a mile away from the city’s V&A museum of design, to become the home of Eden Project Dundee.

The project, which has been under discussion between for more than 18 months, has already secured the backing of the Scottish Government, the city council and Dundee University.

A deal has been secured with the two owners of the site – National Grid and SGN – after completion of a six-month feasibility study into the project, which is predicted to have a potential economic spin-off for the city of more than £27 million a year.

Up to 500 jobs are expected to be created – 200 directly and 300 as a result of the attraction opening, which could happen as early as 2024.

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