Work begins on Perth’s new Food and Drink Park

Ian Miller: 'We have identified food and drink as an area of outstanding opportunity for growth'. Picture: TSPL

The development of the seven hectare site for business use is expected to create 36 jobs during the construction phase alone and, once fully developed, will create or safeguard up to another 400 jobs in the city.

The creation of the park has been made possible by Perth and Kinross Council’s Commercial Property Investment Programme.

A spokesman for Perth and Kinross Council said: “The aim of the CPIP is to build on existing strengths and opportunities in key sectors such as food and drink and support local economic growth by providing business space and infrastructure that will help attract companies to locate and/or expand in Perth and Kinross.

“Developing the Perth Food and Drink Park could initially support up to eleven businesses in the food and drink sector and once fully developed aims to create or safeguard up to 400 jobs.”

Local economy

Councillor Ian Miller, the leader of the council and convener of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, said: “The industrial space we will provide on this site is a demonstration of Perth and Kinross Council’s commitment to support our local economy. The investment this Park is expected to attract will not only benefit the city of Perth but also have a spin-off for smaller communities across the wider Perth and Kinross area where many of our suppliers of fresh produce are based.”

He added: “Today is significant because it marks the start of the council’s programme of investment which will support and expand our local economy. Our ambition is to grow the business sector and to bring greater prosperity and employment opportunities to this area of Scotland.

“We have identified food and drink as an area of outstanding opportunity for growth and we are therefore committing substantial investment into developing this key business sector. I believe that investing in key business sectors such as food and drink is vital to our future and I am sure that this development will act as a catalyst for growth.”