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Boyack Gives Planning Go-Ahead To Bio-Technology Park
24/08/2000
The Scottish Ministers have granted planning permission for a proposed biotechnology park at Gowkley Moss, near Penicuik, Sarah Boyack announced today.
The Environment Minister said the development would be a key factor in maintaining Scotland's leading position in biotechnology.
She stressed that planning conditions covering aspects like landscaping would be attached to the consent to protect environmental considerations.
Ms Boyack said:
"We consider the development of the Scottish Biotechnology Cluster to be of key strategic importance to the Scottish economy. Selecting the right location is a crucial element in guaranteeing the success of the project.
"The site near Penicuik has a number of key features. It is close to several academic and research institutes of widely acknowledged expertise and reputation. Support facilities and existing biotechnology companies are also nearby.
"These factors are likely to make the location attractive to companies in the biotechnology sector. We regard the development of a biotechnology park at Gowkley Moss as a logical extension of existing research and development activity in the Roslin/ Glencorse/ Bush area.
"The development will be part of the only bio-tech cluster in Scotland will be of considerable benefit to the local and national economy.
"We recognise that the proposed development lies within the Green Belt. However, we take the view that the development would not necessarily create major visual, amenity or environmental damage. Conditions will be attached to prevent any potentially significant adverse effects. Among the proposed conditions are the need for a design brief and the provision of landscaping.
"We want to see the planning system play its full part in promoting Scotland's economic competitiveness. This can present difficult choices. In the case of Gowkley Moss, we believe that the national economic benefits of development outweigh the loss of Green Belt and that the conditions to be attached to the grant of planning permission will secure the development of a high quality biotechnology park."
BACKGROUND
1. This is an outline planning application for the change of use of 14.6 hectares of prime agricultural land within the Edinburgh Green Belt to a mixture of business and general industrial. The intention is to extend existing provision for high-tech business and research and development activity collectively known as the "Bush Technopole". The application site is located on open farmland between the A701 and the Bush Technopole within the Edinburgh Green Belt.
2. Midlothian Council considered the application at an earlier stage and were minded to grant planning permission. However, they were required to notify the Scottish Ministers of their intent, in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Notification of Applications) (Scotland) Direction 1997. The application was called in for determination by the Scottish Ministers because of the proposal's possible implications for the Green Belt and its possible implications for road safety and interference with the free flow of traffic on the Trunk Road (A720) (the City Bypass). A public local inquiry was subsequently held from 11-13 and on 19 & 20 April 2000.
3. The Reporter concluded that the environmental disadvantages she found likely to result from the proposed development are significant and that these outweigh the potential economic advantages and that a clear exception to development plan and national policies relating to the protection of the Green Belt was not justified.
4. She, therefore, recommended that the outline planning application be refused. However, the Scottish Ministers considered that any environmental disadvantages could be greatly mitigated by appropriate planning conditions and that the potential economic benefits outweighed any disadvantages likely to result from the development. Accordingly, they have decided that they are minded to grant planning permission for the proposed development and this decision was intimated in a letter issued by the Scottish Executive Development Department on 24 August.
News Release: SE2296/2000
24 Aug 2000