An agreement to invest £100 million in the future economic prosperity of Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides was signed today in Orkney by UK and Scottish government ministers and the council leaders of the three island groups.
Up to 1,300 jobs and £393m of investment is anticipated to result from the signing of the Islands Growth Deal between UK Government, Scottish Government, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Shetland Islands Council and Orkney Islands Council.
Over a 10-year period, the deal will invest in 16 projects and programmes built around three strategic themes: low carbon, supporting growth and future industries, and thriving sustainable communities; subject to approval of Full Business Cases.
Jointly funded by £50m from each of the Scottish and UK governments - the deal should attract further investment of up to £293m in match funding.
It has been developed by the three island councils, together with public, academic, business, community and third sector partners.
The first year of the decade-long programme is anticipated to see investment across the islands, including in the University of the Highlands and Islands’s campuses in Shetland and the Outer Hebrides, and the Islands Centre for Net Zero, which will be based at the Orkney Research and Innovation Campus in Stromness.
Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said: “This will not just boost local economies and create jobs, but also empower communities to get the most out of the many assets and attributes that make the islands such unique and special places to live.“
Business Minister Ivan McKee said: “This deal will be a game-changing initiative for our islands – enabling sustainable economic growth and delivering new and internationally significant port infrastructure that will play an important role in achieving net zero targets.”
Councillor James Stockan, leader of Orkney Islands Council, said: “The signing of this important document today in Orkney marks another significant milestone in our collaborative journey and future vision for our three island areas.
“We have worked together to successfully achieve an impactful growth deal from our governments in both London and Edinburgh that will help secure a better future for us all.”
Councillor Paul Steele, leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, said: “This is a milestone towards achieving our aims of securing 1,300 jobs and £393m of investment over 10 years through the Islands Deal, using the resources of our Islands and capitalising on our natural assets and most importantly, our people.”
Councillor Emma Macdonald, leader of Shetland Islands Council, added: “The deal contains projects which are island-specific and focus on local opportunities and priorities, as well as those which, working in partnership, will help us unlock more economic success for all our islands.”
The multi-million-pound investment will be shared across the following projects:
Leading the way to a low carbon future
- Islands Centre for Net Zero.
- Scapa Flow Future Fuels Hub.
- Outer Hebrides Energy Hub.
- Shetland Clean Energy Project.
- Dales Voe Ultra-Deep Water Quay.
Supporting growth and future industries
- Creative Islands Wellbeing.
- Outer Hebrides Destination Development.
- Orkney World Heritage Gateway.
- Orkney Vertical Farm.
- Shell-volution.
- Outer Hebrides Food and Drink Programme.
- Spaceport 1.
Thriving sustainable communities
- TalEntEd Islands.
- Orkney Research and Innovation Campus.
- Shetland Campus Redevelopment.
- Outer Hebrides Campus Redevelopment.
- Knab Redevelopment.
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