The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Estate works jobs hope
THE FIRST steps are being taken to greatly expand a Perth industrial estate in a bid to stimulate economic growth.
Perth and Kinross Council intends to develop the industrial estate facility at North Muirton over the coming years.
The site is currently operating at capacity and there is a lack of serviced industrial sites in the city.
The proposed development of the industrial estate will provide future development sites for businesses wanting to locate, expand and develop in Perth and the scheme has been identified in the local authority’s development plan as potentially being a major driver of economic expansion in the area.
To begin the process of bringing new businesses, jobs and money to Scotland’s newest city, engineering consultants Halcrow Group has been brought in. It has now submitted a planning application to the council in a bid to get the ball rolling by creating the infrastructure for the development.
It is being progressed at this stage in order to create the transport and drainage infrastructure required to facilitate future expansion and follows a public exhibition this year.
The first stage of works will comprise the construction of approximately 600m of new road, utilities provision, street lighting, drainage and earthworks.
The industrial estate at North Muirton covers an area of 16.5 hectares and includes commercial and light industrial businesses.
Under the plans that were unveiled by the council, however, the site would be expanded by more than 50%, with 8.8 hectares on new estate to be created off Arran Road.
The chose site for development is cur- rently a “greenfield” area on the edge of Perth, by the side of the Inveralmond Roundabout, though part of the existing Arran Road runs through it.