£8.1m expansion for Scottish marine science park

A new £8.1 million facility is to be built in Argyll, Scotland to help meet increasing demand for offices and laboratory facilities from companies in the growing marine science sector.

Regional development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has appointed TSL Contractors Ltd for the next stage of development at the European Marine Science Park (EMSP) at Dunstaffnage, near Oban.

The project is expected to continue to attract innovative marine businesses to locate in Argyll, creating new well-paid job opportunities, particularly for young people, and encouraging entrepreneurship.

Aquaculture hub

Many of the companies and organisations with premises at the EMSP are connected to the salmon farming sector, or other aquaculture.

They include fish health diagnostics company PatoGen, salmon farmer Bakkafrost, aquaculture shipping company BAM Marine, live fish carrier Migdale Transport, marine biology company Ocean Ecology, marine engineering firm Ocean Kinetics, and diving and underwater photogrammetry specialist Tritonia Scientific Ltd.

The European Centre for Marine Biotechnlogy, which is co-located within the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) building at EMSP, is also home to aquaculture-related businesses including Pharmaq Analytiq, which has a diagnostic laboratory there.

The new facility will build on the success of the park’s Malin House, which was completed in 2012 and is now home to 15 companies employing more than 70 people. It will be called Camas House and will be a two-storey 1,500 square metre facility with 11 laboratories and office suites of varying sizes. HIE said designs incorporate challenging sustainability targets with an aspiration to be carbon neutral.

As well as construction, the contract includes completing all toilet, meeting room and kitchen areas, along with full fit-out of offices and labs on the first floor. Ground floor fit-out will be part of a subsequent contract.

Groundworks were completed earlier this year and included road, access and parking improvements.

Morag Goodfellow, HIE’s area manager for Argyll and the Islands, said: “Argyll’s rich marine resource has underpinned significant economic activity for generations. We’ve been developing the EMSP as a centre of collaboration in marine innovation and technology that taps into this natural advantage and stimulates growth in the marine science economy, not just for Argyll but across Scotland. As a world-class, multi-purpose facility set in a stunning natural environment, it has proved an ideal location for companies involved in marine science industries and research.

“It’s been great to see the success of Malin House and how this has helped companies to expand and attracted new ventures. We can expect more opportunities in skills and entrepreneurship, notably for young people, as well as enhanced confidence in Argyll as a business location. That’s what this next stage in the development is all about. It will build on the progress so far and help meet the increasing demand for these types of facilities, bringing new business and fresh talent into the area.

“I’m delighted we have reached this important milestone in the EMSP’s development and look forward to seeing the new building take shape.”

Blue economy

SAMS director Professor Nick Owens said the project was another huge step forward in establishing Oban and the wider region as a centre for marine science excellence.

“As well as having SAMS on its doorstep, benefiting from our 140-year heritage of world-class research, the European Marine Science Park hosts some very successful companies that have experienced rapid growth, as the value of the blue economy becomes more and more apparent,” said Owens.

“The ambition for Camas House to attract more successful companies - and to do so in a more sustainable way - demonstrates the leadership and confidence that the region needs. It also fits seamlessly with SAMS’ vision and developments.”

Work on Camas House is expected to begin in the next few weeks with completion expected in late 2025.