Perth West in Scotland

Sector and market opportunity

Perth West will be a catalyst, creating an innovation hub on energy transition and decarbonising transport, and contributing to the UK Innovation Strategy.

Through business and place innovation, investors are invited to use their capital or business investment to enhance smart and innovation capabilities to co-create the design and delivery of energy and mobility infrastructure.

This will lead to the development of commercial land and integrated residential neighbourhoods.

Location

The city of Perth is in an excellent central location within Scotland, with several strategic transport routes.

The city and wider region are also home to corporate headquarters such as Aviva, Stagecoach and the energy company SSE.

Connectivity

Perth West is ideally placed to testbed and host research in net zero mobility and logistics. Principal road routes connecting the central belt to the north and north-east Scotland converge in the city. All of Scotland’s cities are within 2 hours.

Edinburgh International Airport has 240 connections to major international markets and is just 1 hour away. Perth is also a bus and rail connection hub with daily services directly to 6 other Scottish cities and a direct train to London.

Local talent and skills

The area already has a solid reputation for excellence in low carbon energy. This has led to organic growth in the sector and a network of businesses has grown to include renewable energies, local energy systems and low carbon transport.

There is also a skilled and highly qualified workforce. Perth West houses innovative corporates such as Aviva, Stagecoach and SSE and the largest campus within the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Research and expertise

Perth’s proximity to its major cities offers employers easy access to the research departments and graduate programmes of the local universities. This includes Edinburgh Innovations at the University of Edinburgh where focus is on future infrastructure, innovation, engineering and energy.

The city has links with Cranfield University which is leading the UK in groundbreaking projects including Peterborough Piri and Milton Keynes/MK:U.

Further details

The project has been developed with sustainability at its core. It aims to be an exemplar of net zero development for residential and commercial uses and be a platform to decarbonise mobility and energy across Perth city.

Feasibility studies are underway to optimise environmental, social and economic benefits such as:

• seasonal thermal storage
• circular economy material flow
• 20-minute neighbourhoods

The project will contribute to the 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution. We are also evaluating energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Promoters and partnerships

Perth West is a collaborative project between the local authority (Perth and Kinross Council), government agencies and businesses.

All partners have in-depth experience in building transport and utility infrastructure and developing commercial and residential land and properties.

Perth and Kinross Council is currently delivering a multimillion-pound commercial property investment programme which has attracted business investment.

Local and national government support

Perth West supports Perth city’s ambition to become one of Europe’s most sustainable small cities.

One of the strategic projects supporting the vision of the Tay Cities Region Deal is to become the location of choice for companies to test, demonstrate and roll out innovations in clean growth.

Perth Innovation Highway, a key feature of Perth West, has already secured £5 million from the UK government via the Tay Cities Region Deal.