Plans for a new business park at Oban Airport have taken a step forward with the announcement that 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council has appointed hub North Scotland to oversee the project and Robertson Construction as the main contractor.
The Oban Airport project is part of the council’s Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) Pilot Project for the Lorn Arc Area and enables the council to retain a proportion of Non-Domestic Rates in a defined area, to finance investment in local infrastructure. The project aims to:
- Deliver infrastructure to enable a fully accessible Oban Airport Business Park.
- Promote private sector investment and establish an aviation, engineering and logistics cluster.
- Contribute towards reducing the population decline in 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute and increase higher-paid employment opportunities for residents.
- Use the TIF business rates retention mechanism to finance the development and infrastructure costs.
Planning permission has been granted for one of two commercial buildings for lease at the site. The buildings are subject to a funding application for £7.68m from the Community Regeneration Partnership Fund. However, Councillors have also already agreed to invest £7.25 million to develop additional roads, infrastructure, and utilities at the site from the TIF fund with £1.6 million already approved for development costs to help meet the project timescales.
In addition, the development will also support development of a West Coast UAV Logistics and Training Hub project with an investment of up to £4 million from the UK Government as part of the 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Rural Growth Deal.
This will enable the airport to become a leading research and development centre for UAV technologies, building on the success of recent pioneering trials using drone technology to provide essential services to some of Scotland’s most fragile rural and island communities. The investment will support proposals for Scotland’s first specialised drone training and research centre. It will also provide state-of-the-art hangars with maintenance facilities for UAVs and general aviation aircraft.
51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council Leader, Councillor Jim Lynch, said: “I’m delighted to announce the appointment of hub North Scotland and Robertson Construction on this project. Both organisations have long history of successful community projects, and I am excited to see this innovative project progress and help put the area on the aviation map.â€
Richard Park, Chief Executive of hub North Scotland, said: “We have had an excellent long-term working relationship with 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council and the Oban Airport development is a further demonstration of that commitment. This will be a transformational project which will create great opportunities for the airport and the local communities.â€
Ian Phillips, Regional Managing Director, Robertson Construction Northern, said: "This project represents a significant investment in Oban’s future and an opportunity to deliver the infrastructure needed to support business growth, innovation, and employment. It builds on the ongoing collaboration between Robertson, 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council, and hub North Scotland, and we look forward to helping bring these plans to life."
