Contract Signed for £28.7m Construction at James Hutton Institute

The James Hutton Institute and McLaughlin & Harvey have signed construction contracts worth £28.7m for the next stage of the ongoing redevelopment of the James Hutton Institute’s Invergowrie estate.

This new contract comprises the construction of a combined Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC) and International Barley Hub (IBH).

Part-funded by the Tay Cities Deal, this next phase is part of a masterplan to create two institute-led innovation centres at Invergowrie, helping to establish Scotland as a leader in global food security and crop resilience.

Colin Campbell, Chief Executive at the James Hutton Institute, commented, “Moving into the next phase of the International Barley Hub’s construction is a significant milestone in this project, which aims to future-proof the barley sector across Scotland and the UK.

This new facility will serve as the key research hub and is set to bring around £60 million benefit and over 1,200 jobs to Scotland over the next 10 years.”

The masterplan has received £17 million investment from the Scottish Government through the Tay Cities Deal, a partnership between the UK and Scottish Governments along with public and private organisations across Angus, Dundee, Fife and Perth & Kinross that together will invest up to £700 million in projects promoting sustainable and inclusive prosperity for the region.

Scottish Government Business Minister Ivan McKee said, “The Scottish Government is investing £17 million towards the redevelopment of the James Hutton Institute’s facilities at Invergowrie. Innovation in food and drink is being supported through the Scottish Government’s plan to transform the economy, the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.”