Dumfries to receive £200m investment package

The investment on the Crichton estate is being made by Jansons Property in partnership with the Crichton Trust and could create hundreds of jobs.

The funds will be used to build a purpose-built campus for the University of the West of Scotland, a research centre, a youth sports facility and other facilities, while two new stands and a business park are also in the pipeline at Queen of the South’s Palmerston Park.

A museum to display artefacts from the Hunterian Museum, the Crichton Archives and the Dumfries and Galloway collection will also be built while the plans include a 250 purpose-built student residences.

Rob Shaw, chief executive officer of the Crichton Trust, said the cash injection had the potential to transform the area and would have an impact on the wider national economy for years to come.

He said: “We are delighted and proud to announce the most compelling and tangible investment opportunity that Dumfries and Galloway region has had in living memory.

“We will deliver truly transformational investment and development in conjunction with Jansons Property and the William Pears Group and know we will be working with a partner who has a long-standing ethos of committing to projects that deliver public benefit.

“It is a very exciting day for Scotland and the Dumfries and Galloway region which will provide substantial benefit to the local community and creative sustainable well paid jobs at all levels.”

Andy Jansons, managing director of Jansons Property, added: “We are pleased to be working with the Crichton Trust in taking forward this exciting development, and we will bring together the funding and expertise to deliver appropriate projects for the Crichton and the community of Dumfries and Galloway.”