The programme forms part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, a partnership of the Scottish and UK Governments, local authorities and universities that will transform the regional economy, and the Deal’s Joint Committee has now approved the next steps. 

Fife’s ten-year £50 million Industrial Innovation Investment programme (i3) is already being delivered as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal’s innovation theme, and is providing much-needed serviced employment land and new industrial, office and business space. 

The finishing touches are now being added to the first nine new business units at Queensway Industrial Estate, Glenrothes, as the internal works and landscaping are completed to increase the local supply of new buildings and serviced sites.

The programme is creating 1,000 new skilled permanent jobs and almost 600 short-term construction jobs over the 15-year lifetime of the City Deal. Joint working between the region’s universities, Fife businesses and Fife Council means more high value jobs. 

Councillor David Ross, Fife Council co-leader, said: “Our focus in Fife is on fairer economic growth, where everyone benefits from good employment opportunities and regional investments. Work being completed in Glenrothes is one of the many positive changes that the City Region Deal will bring. 

“The completion of the units in Glenrothes and the approval of the next steps by the Joint Committee are important steps forward in delivering the programme that will encourage more businesses to locate and grow within Fife, and secure a further £30m of investment by the private sector. 

“Through the wider City Region Deal Fife businesses will have increased opportunities to build-on the value they generate from their data by adopting digital technologies, and use this to create new products, and generate both new supply chain arrangements and new business models - creating and safeguarding jobs.” 

David Alexander, co-leader Fife Council, added: “Through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal regional partners will secure more than £1.3 billion of investment for the city region over the next 15 years.  We believe that this can create clear opportunities for genuine inclusive economic growth and investment in Fife.  

“The Deal focuses on growing the regional economy through collaboration and by being outward-looking, building on the region’s existing strengths in key sectors and industries.” 

Construction work on seven single storey business units on land to the east of Midfield Drive, within Dunnikier Business Park, Kirkcaldy is also underway. The modern buildings include solar panels and are located at an established and popular business location in the town, close to key transport links including public transport. The units are scheduled for completion in the autumn, and will boost economic development opportunities within Kirkcaldy, and provide small business space to local enterprises with growth ambitions.