A report to East Lothian Council last week approved the Joint Venture Structure between the local authority and Queen Margaret University that will take forward the delivery of the plans. The Court of the University also gave its go ahead for the joint venture.

The first stage of the development, construction of the Food and Drink Innovation Hub, is expected to commence in early 2023 and complete in 2025.

The Hub forms part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Deal, a £1.3 billion regional investment programme funded by the UK and Scottish Governments and regional partners including East Lothian Council. The City Deal’s committee approved the plan in June 2021, with the Hub being funded by £28.6 million from UK Government, £1.4m from the Scottish Government and £10m from East Lothian Council.

The purpose of the Hub is to focus on food and drink-related innovation within the context of health and wellbeing and will include serviced laboratories and office accommodation as well as facilities for events.

Preparatory work has already begun on a new junction off the A1 to improve accessibility and connectivity to and from the Food and Drink Innovation Hub and wider Innovation Park.

East Lothian Council leader Norman Hampshire said: “This is great news for East Lothian as we move into the recovery phase of the pandemic as it will bring a huge boost in terms of jobs, skills and business development to the area. The Hub and Innovation Park will build on East Lothian’s title of Scotland’s Food & Drink County and help us properly support research, innovation and growth in this important sector.”

Sir Paul Grice, principal of Queen Margaret University said: “This is great news for East Lothian, and for Scotland’s food and drink sector, especially as it relates to society’s health and wellbeing. The Hub and Innovation Park will aid economic recovery from the impacts of the pandemic by bringing quality jobs and investment to the area, and by supporting an important sector through research, knowledge exchange and skills training. With our joint venture partners East Lothian Council, we look forward to realising our vision of a strategic, sustainable development that will promote inclusive growth.”