In December 2021, the Moray Growth Deal was signed.

The £100 million deal is expected to bring around 3,500 jobs to the area, both directly and indirectly.

Both the Scottish and UK Governments have each pledged £32.5 million.

Regional partners across the public and third sector are also contributing £35.8 million.

What is happening with the Moray Growth Deal?

Since the deal was signed many things have changed.  We have come through the Covid pandemic and are now facing a cost of living crisis.

Councillor Graham Leadbitter, MSP Kate Forbes and MP Iain Stewart, who all signed the deal, are now all in different roles.

So what is the latest on three of the projects in the deal designed to help the region.

Business Enterprise Hub

A Business Enterprise Hub will be built in Elgin town centre.

The £6.3 million project is being led by the University of the Highlands and Islands and Moray College.

The space will support education, research, and new business start-ups while helping upscale existing micro businesses.

It is hoped the flexible space will encourage entrepreneurial thinking and business innovation by bringing together students and businesses.

Business case date changed

The precise location for the business hub is yet to be revealed to the public.

A Moray College spokeswoman said the time for the full business case to be submitted to the Moray Growth Deal’s board before government approval is sought has been changed.

She said: “The revised date for the full business case submission has been moved back to August so neither the college board, the project board nor the programme board have had sight of the final draft yet.”

Manufacturing Innovation Centre

This £5 million project to build a Manufacturing Innovation Centre for Moray (MICM) is being spearheaded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

It will bring world-leading research and development expertise in advanced manufacturing.

Through the centre, businesses will be able to collaborate with universities.

They can access support from organisations like HIE, National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service, Business Gateway, and other providers to meet their needs.

Change of location but same objectives

The centre was originally going to be located at RAF Lossiemouth.

But it has now emerged the location has changed.

A HIE spokesman revealed: “While the location has changed, the original objectives and outputs for MICM are still those identified in the outline business case.

“We are now considering Forres Enterprise Park as the permanent location for the facility and will publicise the details of this once we are able to do so.”

Meanwhile, the full business case is due to be presented to the Moray Growth Deal board this month (August).

He added: “The MICM full business case is currently in development and due to be presented to the Growth Deal programme board in August.

“After that, it has a number of appraisal and approval steps to go through before it can be finalised.

“The project aligns closely with the MAATIC ( Moray Aerospace, Advanced Technology and Innovation Campus) and Business Enterprise Hub projects and there’s a lot of work being done to develop those synergies and the respective business cases.”

Housing mix delivery latest

The £7.5 million housing mix delivery project is being led by Moray Council.

Its aim is to accelerate the delivery of 360 affordable homes while supporting town centre regeneration of brownfield sites and housing in rural towns and villages.

The main parts of this project are: 

• Development on South Street in Elgin.
• The Dallas Dhu masterplan includes 24 affordable net-zero homes and 20 self-build plots on Altyre Estate near Forres.

A council spokeswoman said: “The full business case for the housing mix delivery project is on track to go to the Moray Growth Deal board in September for approval.

“Thereafter, it will be go to full council then the Scottish Government for sign-off.

“The project is, however, progressing well following an event at the end of June for the Dallas Dhu design concepts. This will be followed up later in the year with designs incorporating feedback from this session.

“The South Street development is the subject of commercial sensitivity but plans will be published on the way forward for this project as soon as is practicably possible.”