Secretary of state for Scotland, Alister Jack joined Scottish government minister for transport, infrastructure and connectivity Michael Matheson MSP at Forth Valley College in Stirling for the signing.
The deal focuses on environmental projects, innovation in the digital and tourism sectors and boosting skills across the region. Among the first projects to be delivered from the Deal will be Scotland’s International Environment Centre and the National Tartan Centre. The programmes represent a combined £33 million investment.
Jack said: “This is a big step forward for the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal, which will be transformational for the region’s economy, creating jobs and boosting prosperity for the long term. The UK government is investing more than £45 million in projects in Stirling and Clackmannanshire, including in tourism, aquaculture and the environment.
“This is just one of the many City Region and Growth Deals across Scotland, in which the UK Government is investing more than £1.4 billion to create thousands of jobs and opportunities and grow Scotland’s economy.”
Matheson said: “The Scottish Government is contributing £50.1 million to the Stirling & Clackmannanshire region through this City Region Deal and additional projects. Across Scotland we have so far committed more than £1.8 billion over the next 10 to 20 years to City Region and Growth Deals and additional investments.
“This signing is a milestone moment for the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal. It will make a real lasting difference to the future of the region and inject confidence into the economy, improving the quality of life for local people.”
The Stirling & Clackmannanshire Deal has seven key areas of investment:
- innovation;
- digital;
- culture, heritage & tourism;
- capital fund for Clackmannanshire;
- transport, connectivity & low carbon;
- infrastructure;
- skills and Inclusion.
Professor Gerry McCormac, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Stirling, said: “At the University of Stirling, two multi-million-pound, landmark projects - Scotland's International Environment Centre and the Aquaculture Innovation Hub - will provide fresh thinking and innovation. Scotland’s International Environment Centre will place shared responsibility and sustainability at the heart of the drive to be more productive, in the face of a global climate emergency, while the Aquaculture Innovation Hub will build on and support the University's pioneering aquaculture research, translating global growth into high quality local jobs.”
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