Life sciences sector boosts Highland’s prospects

Along with the energy sector, life sciences is one of the most important economic sectors for Scotland’s Highland area, as Margaret Davidson, leader of the Highland Council explained.

“It’s brought prosperity and jobs, it’s been a key driving factor in the Moray Firth and the development of the Inverness area and it’s been absolutely key to what we’ve been doing,” Davidson told Real Asset Insight’s Richard Betts.

She said that it is important not to take the sector for granted and to “spread some of the ideas out around the Highlands and see how we can really build on it.”

A new life sciences innovation centre in Inverness, which recently received planning consent, is an important step forward.

“If you ask me what are going to be the big driving forces in Highland for prosperity, for jobs and well-being over the next 10 years, I wouldn’t know whether to say energy or life sciences first,” Davidson said.

However, she said that much of the money from the energy sector leaves the Highlands whereas the life sciences sector tends to reinvest in the area. “I think it’s a great opportunity,” she said.

Click on the video above to watch the full interview or listen to the podcast below.