Proposals have been unveiled for the development of an innovation and business incubation centre at the Enterprise Park in Forres.

The plans for the centre will attract new, developing markets in the research and development, innovation and business start up sectors.  The facility will also provide a central focus for these activities and allow businesses and individuals to come together under one roof and benefit from the facilities on offer.

This will allow these fledgling companies to grow and be nurtured in a supportive, creative and positive environment which is conducive to innovative thinking before moving on to commercial exploitation of their ideas, products and services.

Moray Badenoch and Strathspey Enterprise (MBSE), part of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) network, has worked up the plans, which are still subject to planning consents and European funding approval.

They include several new business units, which will be available in a range of sizes and flexible lease arrangements; an auditorium for up to 45 people, which will include the latest in presentation technology and audio-visual aids, and a café.

The plans also include extensive use of locally sourced natural resources in the choice of building materials, and the centre will be managed similarly to the successful Greenhouse in Inverness, which has become established as a popular centre for innovation and for new business start companies.

The Forres Enterprise Park was created in 1997 as a means to attract new companies to the area, at a time when the location enjoyed full Assisted Area status for state aid financial assistance. More recently however, there has been a marked decline in inward investment as well as changes to the Assisted Area status for the area.  MBSE has therefore taken a new approach to the park's development and promotion, including imminent plans for innovative new landscaping work to improve the site entrance.

MBSE chief executive, Douglas Yule, said:  "In the last few years we have seen a global downturn in the potential for inward investment projects, so we have to reposition and promote the Park to newer, developing markets centred on attracting research and development, innovation and business start up companies.  The plans we now have for the site are part of the overall effort to ensure that the park meets the expectations of very high quality that modern companies operating in global markets have come to expect.  At the same time we want to service the needs of new start-up companies who look for flexibility in lease agreements and in size of business units available.

"Developing these sectors will lead to higher paid employment opportunities of a more technical, specialist nature. This will, over time help to increase average wage rates in the area and contribute to a more prosperous society, especially as ideas come through the system from the experimental stage in the incubation centre to their full commercial roll-out.

"We are also keen that we help create the kind of jobs that allows our young graduates to return to the area they grew up in. This helps preserve our indigenous population and are some of the most important building blocks for future sustainable economic and community success."

Depending on planning and funding approvals, work on the developments could begin as early as this summer, with a completion date around summer 2004.