13 January 06
Major New Commercial Development At Forss Looks To The Future
 On 18 November
2005 Abbey Properties Cambridgeshire Limited gained an outline planning
consent for development on the former mast site US naval base, Forss,
Thurso.
The brown
field site comprises 126 acres (gross) and is located adjacent to Forss
Technology Park and close to Dounreay which is due to undergo a �2.6
billion decommissioning programme in the future. The outline planning
consent, applied on a significant part of the site, provides for the
development of a mixed use scheme on the site as well as new roads and
services that may be associated with any development.
The site will provide a mixed use of buildings including industrial and
warehouse, office, and research and development buildings as well as
accommodation. A spokesman for Abbey Properties Cambridgeshire
Limited stated that �this planning consent is good news for the area as it
will allow for future commercial development and increased employment. It
is also in an excellent location to provide services to sites and
buildings for companies that may be involved with the decommissioning of
Dounreay.�
Enquiries should be directed to Abbey Properties as follows:-
Nicholas Sutton
Abbey Properties Cambridgeshire Ltd
Nene Lodge, Funthams Lane, Whittlesey, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE7
2PB
Tele: 01733 200905
e-mail: [email protected]
New workshop and office facilities at Forss
Business & Technology Park
 New Park welcomes Canberra Harwell to the Forss site with the opening of
their new service support centre.
The development of the Forss Business & Technology Park continues with New
Park Management welcoming Canberra Harwell Ltd, the provider of specialist
radiation monitoring equipment, into their new facility at Dunbeath House
on the Forss site. A purpose built customer service support workshop and
offices has been constructed for Canberra allowing them to focus on their
business with Dounreay.
Neil Robertson, New Park�s Associate Director, responsible for the Forss
Business & Technology Park stated, �We are pleased that we are seeing
demand increase for high quality office, workshop and storage space which
is very much in line with our original development plans�. The concept for
Forss Business and Technology Park is based on creating a cluster of
expertise in the decommissioning and allied industries. Canberra�s manager
for the north, Hamish Bremner agrees �Having our new facility at Forss
means we can provide our customers at Dounreay with our high level of
service from an extremely convenient location�.
22 April 05
PROPOSED LINK ROAD BETWEEN DOUNREAY & FORSS
TECHNOLOGY PARK
 The
proposed road route linking the ex US Navy Base at Forss, Caithness and
the UKAEA site at Dounreay, has had a planning application lodged with the
Highland Council.
This brown field site is classified as suitable for commercial
development. The base had been unused since decommissioning in 1992.
Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise have stated "From the point of view of
the local economy it is important that this site is brought into economic
use. The owners, Abbey Properties, are keen to encourage firms
requiring sites to bring business to the area."
Enquiries should be directed to the Agent for Abbey Properties as
follows:-
Charlie Simpson
Abbey Properties Cambridgeshire Ltd
Nene Lodge
Funthams Lane
Whittlesey
Peterborough
Cambridgeshire
PE7 2PB
Abbey Properties Are the same firm who are in the process of working
towards another four wind turbines at Forss
-
Details
(Pdf file)
24 December 04
Nuclear Development Agency Brings More Jobs To Caithness
 The
Nuclear Development Agency (NDA) that will have overall responsibility for
the nuclear industry in the Uk from April 2005 is to open an office in
Caithness. the new office will be based at the New Park Business
Park at Forss. The number of jobs is likely to be around 12 to
start with but the office has capacity for up to 20. New Park are
delighted to have been able to supply high quality accommodation to the
NDA and now have a cluster of nuclear related firms at the business park.
17 November 03
HIE BOARD VISITS FORSS BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY PARK
The Board of Highlands & Islands Enterprise
saw at first hand today (17th November 2003) how HIE Network investment in
Forss Business and Technology Park is bringing real economic benefits to
the Far North.
While touring the site the Board learned how Scottish company New Park
Management�s �6 million pounds refurbishment of the Forss site,
which has lain dormant and decaying since the US Navy abandoned it a
decade ago, is attracting inward investment from major national and
international companies.
Made possible by a funding partnership between New Park Management,
Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise, the European Regional Development
Fund and the anchor tenancy of UKAEA, the hi-tech Park at Forss is part of
a growing network of New Park technology centres in Scotland.
Welcoming the HIE Board members to Forss, Murdo Mackenzie, New Park
Management�s executive chairman said: �Turning the vision of a hi-tech
technology centre on the north coast of Scotland into reality is an
excellent example of how the HIE Network can use its resources to help
private sector businesses create jobs in fragile rural communities.
Together, we are creating at Forss something that will bring long-term
economic benefit to the HIE Area.�
Accompanying the HIE Board on their visit,
Caithness & Sutherland Enterprise chief executive Carroll Buxton
commented: �Capturing long-term benefit from the decommissioning of
Dounreay is high priority for the HIE Network and the development of the
Forss Business and Technology Park is a key step towards achieving our
aims. I am delighted that support worth �1.8m provided by Caithness &
Sutherland Enterprise and the ERDF, coupled with UKAEA's commitment to
locate 140 staff at Forss, have enabled New Park Management to bring back
into economic use an asset that has lain dormant for over a decade.
Partnership between public agencies and private sector companies is a key
to achieving sustainable benefit from the decommissioning for our people
and communities.�
In addition to the jobs located on the site by tenants, New Park
Management itself has created 10 jobs in the team formed to manage and
maintain the Forss Park.
4 November
03
CAITHNESS
COUNCILLORS PRAISE NEW PARK MANAGEMENT�S
BOOST TO LOCAL ECONOMY FROM
UKAEA DECOMMISSIONING
The Highland Council�s
Caithness Area Committee visited New Park Management�s new Business and
Technology Park at Forss, Caithness today (4TH NOVEMBER 2003), to see at
first hand how the decommissioning at UKAEA Dounreay is bringing major
benefits to the local economy. The �6m development by Scottish
company New Park Management is converting the Forss site, which has lain
derelict for a decade, in to a hi-tech Business and Technology
Park........
6 October 03
FAR
NORTH MP AND MSP VISIT FORSS BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY PARK
 The major
opportunities for business and economic development in the Far North,
created by UKAEA�s commitment to restore the environment at Dounreay, were
highlighted during a visit to Forss Business and Technology Park,
Caithness by the local MP and MSP on Friday 3rd October 2003. John Thurso
MP and Jamie Stone MSP visited the Park being developed by New Park
Highland as part of a growing network of Technology Centres throughout
Scotland..............
FORSS BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY
PARK 31 August 03
The first tenants of the newly refurbished
accommodation at Forss Business and Technology Park have completed the
three-mile journey from Dounreay. Staff from the Major Projects
Engineering Division, UKAEA have begun to populate the former derelict
Naval Base at Forss bringing it back to life.
 Claire
Bell, Associate Director at New Park commented, �We are delighted at the
way the refurbishment programme has gone and UKAEA staff have moved into
office space which is of a very high standard. With further buildings
coming on stream within the next two weeks the Park will transform from
what has been a very busy construction site over the past few months into
one that is fully operational�.
 New
Park are also delighted to announce that Neil Money, former head of
Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise (CASE) will join the team at Forss in
a part time capacity. Executive Chairman of New Park, Murdo Mackenzie said
that �capturing someone of Neil�s ability and experience will undoubtedly
assist New Parks vision of creating a Centre of Excellence in
decommissioning Technology at Forss�. In addition to his former role as
head of CASE Neil has for the past two years been Director of Strategic
Projects at CASE developing a strategy to maximise the economic benefits
of decommissioning to the Highlands and Islands. Commenting on his new
role Neil said �I am delighted to get this opportunity to work with New
Park and help develop a Centre that will focus on innovative companies
both large and small within the decommissioning industry. |
126 Acres For Commercial Development By
Abbey Properties
New
Park
Picture Gallery |