Tuesday 12 March 2013:

David Hastings Appointed Chair of Inverness Airport Business Park

Inverness Airport Business Park (IABP) has appointed David Hastings, one of Scotland’s most respected urban development professionals, as chairman.

Hastings, who remains Chief Executive of Strathleven Regeneration Company, will lead IABP as it works to attract industrial and commercial occupiers to the site. He will work closely with IABP’s strategic development partner Roxhill Developments, which signed a deal to develop phase 1 of the park in 2011.

Hastings has a 30-year track record in delivering capital projects and programmes in Scotland. He has held a number of senior management, non-executive and consulting roles and advised on a range of development policy, strategy and delivery initiatives.

In his five years at Strathleven Regeneration Company Hastings has played a pivotal role in a joint venture which has attracted over £50 million of private investment to the Lomondgate development on the A82 at Dumbarton.  

Hastings is married to the University of the Highlands and Islands Inverness-based Head of Development Nuala Boyle and spends much of his free time in the Highlands.

Speaking of his appointment Hastings said: “I believe Inverness Airport Business Park is one of Scotland’s most exciting commercial development locations. The Highlands has a growing reputation as a place to do business and IABP, which sits in a transport hub with access to skilled workforce and the support of both Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Highland Council, is an attractive location.

“I look forward to working with the board at IABP and David Keir at Roxhill to promote the site and believe we will see businesses develop on the site in the near future.”

Inverness Airport is a joint venture between Highlands and Islands Airports, Moray Estates and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, with the support of The Highland Council.

Overlooking the Moray Firth and adjacent to Inverness Airport, IABP offers 250-Hectares of development land with outline planning permission for 3.5m sq ft. It is anticipated over 700 people could be working on the site in seven years and over 1,200 in the next decade. 

Just weeks ago the Scottish Government confirmed it would go ahead with development of a rail halt adjacent to Inverness Airport, which also serves Tornagrain.

IABP Board member and MD of Highlands and Islands Airports, Inglis Lyon, said: “It’s an honour to welcome David Hastings to our board. David’s skills in large-scale commercial project development and global blue chip contacts are exactly what we need to help attract businesses to IABP.

Hastings replaces Alan Price who is standing down after six years as chair of IABP.

Ends

Notes to Editors

For more information on IABP visit www.iabp.co.uk

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Natalie Buxton at Weber Shandwick

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