Food and drink hub business case approval unlocks £40m funding for Edinburgh Innovation Park

The business case supporting the development of a flagship food & drink innovation hub in East Lothian has been given the green light by officials, unlocking £40 million City Region Deal funding for Edinburgh Innovation Park.The full business case was passed by Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal Joint Committee after a presentation by joint venture partners for the development, Queen Margaret University (QMU) and East Lothian Council.The Food and Drink Innovation Hub is supported by £28.6m from the UK Government, £1.4m from the Scottish Government and £10m from East Lothian Council as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.Closely aligned to the University’s strengths, the hub will focus on food and drink related innovation within the context of health and wellbeing and will include serviced laboratories and office accommodation as well as facilities for events.It will accommodate facilities of the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation, already a successful research partner to the food and drink sector, and will offer access to equipment, knowledge and skills to support product development and product launches.?As well as bricks and mortar, there will be a full programme of activities to foster innovation, boost female entrepreneurship, and address market and societal need.The innovation hub is in a prime strategic location next to the QMU campus on the boundaries of both Edinburgh and Midlothian. The hub will be the anchor for Edinburgh Innovation Park which will be developed over time to create a nationally significant centre of knowledge exchange, innovation and high value business growth.Work will commence immediately to select the design team and finalise designs for the hub. Construction is expected to begin early in 2023 and will be completed in 2025.