Approval for 5 Tay Cities Deal projects

The Scottish and UK governments have approved £50 million of Tay Cities Deal cash being spent on five projects.

The funds include £15m for the LiveHouse events venue in Dundee to expand its capacity and £3.75m for Coupar Angus chicken processing firm 2 Sisters.

The announcement follows a “reshaping” of the Tay Cities Deal, announced last December, five years after the signing of the original deal.

The review was in response to rising costs, project delays and resource constraints.

Tay Cities Deal said the reshaped programme is designed to “maximise investment, support economic growth and deliver lasting benefits” across the region.

The LiveHouse funding comes despite lawyers warning of competition concerns if the venue was given public money.

The five projects sharing the latest round of funding are:

• Montrose Port Offshore Wind Prioritisation Project. Investment to strengthen Montrose Port’s position as a globally competitive hub for offshore wind operations and maintenance. Total funding £15.22m (UK Government £12.01m, Scottish Government £3.21m).
• LiveHouse, Dundee. Funding to increase capacity from 2,000 to 3,500 in a bid to attract international touring acts, major events and conferences. Total funding £15m (UK Government £12m, Scottish Government £3m).
• Clean Growth Co-location Programme, Eden Campus. Enabling infrastructure at the University of St Andrews to support clean-growth innovation and early demonstration. Total funding: £9.887m (UK Government £6.887m, Scottish Government £3m)
• Perth Broxden Roundabout Improvement Package. Improvements to address congestion, road safety and capacity at one of Scotland’s busiest strategic junctions. Total funding £6m (Scottish Government £6m).
• 2 Sisters Food Group, Perth & Kinross: A new facility and farm investment supporting growth and employment in the food and agriculture sector. Total funding £3.75m (Scottish Government £3.75m).

The Tay Cities Deal has a £150m commitment from the Scottish and UK Governments. It aims to deliver more than 6,000 jobs and attract £400m in investment across the region.

So far £160m of the £300m total has been released. This money is said to support 5,300 jobs and secure £253m in additional private sector investment.

Councillor George Meechan, leader of Angus Council and chair of the Tay Cities Region Deal Joint Committee, said:

“The Tay Cities Region Deal has already delivered significant benefits, supporting thousands of jobs and attracting substantial investment to our region.

“However, it is important that we adapt to changing economic circumstances and ensure the remaining programme delivers the greatest possible impact.

“The approval of these five projects is an important milestone. They represent exciting opportunities across a range of sectors and demonstrate the strength of collaboration between our regional partners and the UK and Scottish Governments.

“We remain focused on delivering the Deal’s ambitions, attracting further investment and creating a stronger, more prosperous and sustainable future for the Tay Cities region.”

This article appeared in the Courier on 13 November 2026