Published Date: Jul 7th, 2026
Fife is set to benefit from a £9.9 million boost to clean growth innovation following recommendations from the Tay Cities Region Joint Committee to support a new project at the University of St Andrews’ Eden Campus.
The Clean Growth Co-Location Programme has been identified for support through the Tay Cities Region Deal, which is jointly funded by Scottish and UK Governments, recognising its potential to accelerate low-carbon technologies and strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem.
The programme will create flexible, infrastructure-ready space to support the development and real-world testing of emerging technologies, including Power to X, carbon capture and sustainable aquaculture, at the Guardbridge site. These sectors require specialist facilities and significant upfront investment, which are unlikely to be delivered by the market alone.
The project, which is subject to Government approval, will deliver enabling infrastructure at Eden Campus, including shared energy systems, aquaculture-ready land, smart grid capability and site resilience works. This will unlock around 4,200 square metres of development-ready space and support up to eight small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to scale up and bring new technologies closer to market.
The investment builds on earlier development at the site, including Phase 1 of the Power to X facility, and is expected to be fully operational by late 2028.
Fife Council Leader David Ross welcomed the Tay Cities proposed investment. He said: “This will help turn cutting-edge ideas into real-world solutions. By creating the space and infrastructure businesses need to innovate and grow, we’re supporting high-value jobs and strengthening Fife’s position as a centre for clean growth.”
The University’s Vice-Principal (Strategy) and Chief Operating Officer, Ester Ruskuc, welcomed the news. She said: “The University’s Eden Campus is a living testbed driving green innovation, providing a base for industry and academia to come together to find solutions society needs now and in the future. This proposal builds on substantial prior investment by the University of St Andrews, Scottish Enterprise, EPSRC, the Wolfson Foundation and industry partners. This funding is key to safeguarding this investment and enabling the development of further activities that may not otherwise be possible.
“The development of Eden Campus has brought a significant boost to the local economy; hundreds of University staff have re-located to Guardbridge following the regeneration of the paper mill site, and we have seen the opening of several new businesses in the village as well as hundreds of new family homes being built nearby.“
Eden Campus Director, Karen Primrose, who submitted the proposal, said: “The development of Eden Campus to date has brought together a powerful combination of research, infrastructure and industry activity. Further investment will support the next stage of activity on the Campus, enabling ideas and technologies to be developed, tested and applied in real-world settings. In doing so, it will help meet regional and national priorities, supporting the translation of research into practical solutions that drive sustainable economic growth.”
In addition, the Tay Cities Industrial Innovation Investment (i3) Programme has been identified as a reserve project and will be ready to progress if further Deal funding becomes available.
The i3 Programme aims to increase the supply of modern, flexible business premises and serviced employment land across the Tay Cities Region, including North East Fife, helping businesses to start, grow and innovate. It would support higher-value jobs, unlock private investment and improve productivity across key growth sectors.
Together, these proposals demonstrate the continued ambition of the Tay Cities Region to drive sustainable economic growth, innovation and investment across Fife and beyond.
